Dispelling the notion of neutrality in mental healthcare: the role of moral values and racial attitudes in clinical decision-making.
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| Title: | Dispelling the notion of neutrality in mental healthcare: the role of moral values and racial attitudes in clinical decision-making. |
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| Authors: | Mortimer, Emily (AUTHOR), Patel, Trishna (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Ethics & Behavior. Jan2026, Vol. 36 Issue 1, p40-55. 16p. |
| Subjects: | Cross-sectional method, Scale analysis (Psychology), Mental health services, Questionnaires, Multiple regression analysis, Decision making in clinical medicine, Quantitative research, Descriptive statistics, Structural equation modeling, Ethics, Racism, Attitudes of medical personnel, Analysis of variance, Case studies, Factor analysis, Data analysis software, Medical ethics |
| Geographic Terms: | United Kingdom |
| Abstract: | Clinical decision-making (CDM) in mental healthcare is highly complex and often morally challenging. Using vignettes, the present study aimed to quantitatively explore associations between moral values, color-blind racial attitudes and CDM in mental healthcare. A sample of 450 mental health professionals (MHPs) completed a series of measures online. Descriptive analyses identified a wide range in MHPs endorsement of the moral values measured and in CDM (agreement – disagreement with clinical decisions). Racial attitudes significantly correlated with CDM across all vignette scenarios (7) and predicted CDM in some scenarios (3/7). Moral values, deference and group loyalty, partially mediated the relationship between racial attitudes and CDM. The need to acknowledging wider socio-political contexts, namely racial attitudes, on our values, value-judgments and subsequently, CDM is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Clinical decision-making (CDM) in mental healthcare is highly complex and often morally challenging. Using vignettes, the present study aimed to quantitatively explore associations between moral values, color-blind racial attitudes and CDM in mental healthcare. A sample of 450 mental health professionals (MHPs) completed a series of measures online. Descriptive analyses identified a wide range in MHPs endorsement of the moral values measured and in CDM (agreement – disagreement with clinical decisions). Racial attitudes significantly correlated with CDM across all vignette scenarios (7) and predicted CDM in some scenarios (3/7). Moral values, deference and group loyalty, partially mediated the relationship between racial attitudes and CDM. The need to acknowledging wider socio-political contexts, namely racial attitudes, on our values, value-judgments and subsequently, CDM is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 10508422 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/10508422.2025.2472421 |
