Triadic Perspectives on Decision Making in Psychiatry: A Qualitative Study on Service Users, Caregivers and Healthcare Professionals in Latvia.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Decision making is fundamental to personal autonomy and person-centered, rights-based psychiatric care. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of decision making in psychiatric care from the perspectives of service users, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, identifying contexts that facilitate or hinder these practices.

METHODS

An exploratory-descriptive qualitative design was applied, using semi-structured interviews with eight service users, six caregivers, and seven healthcare professionals (21 interviews in total). Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed through inductive content analysis.

RESULTS

Four main categories were identified: (1) antecedents for decision making, (2) challenges in decision making, (3) consequences of decision making, and (4) recommendations for improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides insight into how decisions in psychiatric care are made in Latvia, highlighting the legal, personal, and institutional factors influencing these processes. Participants offered valuable perspectives, identifying both facilitators and barriers to autonomous decision making, as well as suggesting necessary improvements. The findings suggest the need for legal reform and systemic improvements in practices that favor agency in decision making. Additionally, they underscore the importance of strengthening individual capacities to support meaningful collaboration among service users, caregivers, and healthcare professionals in making healthcare decisions that enhance the quality of care and well-being of people with mental health difficulties.