Psychiatrists' Analysis of Politicians' Mental Health

This book discusses the validity, ethics, and usefulness of professional public commentary of politician’s mental health and provides an alternative model for professionals to do so in an ethical manner.

Rendering public opinions about politician’s mental health, particularly when the professional has not conducted a first-hand assessment of the individual, can be problematic and unethical. This book reviews the legitimate methods of psychiatric and psychological evaluations, abuses of psychiatry, and ethical perspectives on publicly voicing opinions regarding public figures, and proposes an alternative assumption model for mental health professionals to render a public opinion. It is a great resource for practicing psychologists and psychiatrists to reflect on their own processes when examining the mental health of politicians.

Students and trainees in the mental health sector will come away from this book with a better understanding of the ethical concerns inherent in commenting publicly on public officials’ mental health, and they'll find valuable guidance on how to do so in an ethical way.

Keith G. Rasmussen is a consultant at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He is also a professor of psychiatry at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.