Some ethical considerations in defensive psychiatry: a case study.

Involuntary admission of a patient deemed dangerous may be motivated by a wish to protect the patient and others from potential violence-or by a practitioner's wish to limit personal liability. Evidence is offered to suggest that the practice of defensive psychiatry is not uncommon, and a case demonstrating the role of professional self-protection in an involuntary commitment decision is presented. Procedural modifications in the commitment process are proposed as a means of protecting patients' civil liberties.