Being a psychiatrist in the evaluation process of a gun license report: morally challenging experience - a qualitative study from Turkey

Yıldız A., Arda B.

PSYCHIATRY PSYCHOLOGY AND LAW, 2023 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Basım Tarihi: 2023
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/13218719.2023.2222401
  • Dergi Adı: PSYCHIATRY PSYCHOLOGY AND LAW
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, ASSIA, Criminal Justice Abstracts, HeinOnline-Law Journal Library, Psycinfo
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: forensic psychiatry, gun license, moral distress, preventive medicine, professionalism, psychiatric ethics, psychiatric evaluation, psychiatrists’ lived experience, qualitative research, violence
  • Ankara Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Many psychiatrists in Turkey participate in evaluating health board reports regarding gun licensing in their daily practice. There is no relevant study on the experiences of psychiatrists in this process. In addition, there is no other country where psychiatrists participate in the gun licensing process as in Turkey. In this context, the psychiatrists' relevant experiences, their views on their roles in this process and their understanding of the ethical dimension are considered important issues. To investigate the experiences of psychiatrists, a qualitative study has been conducted. The study included 19 psychiatrists who actively participated in evaluating gun license reports. Taking part in the gun license report process for psychiatrists is a highly challenging experience professionally, morally and emotionally. Psychiatrists resort to various functional and dysfunctional strategies to address problems in this process. However, there are structural and general solutions suggested for the future.