DUI and Mental Health

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A study posted on www.sciencedirect.com, (direct link below) raises concerns that many who go to court-ordered alcohol counseling following a DUI conviction are not have other legitimate mental health issues addressed.  As part of a larger study to investigate the impact of sanction conditions on probation outcomes, “233 patients were screened for psychiatric conditions  and compared the findings with the psychiatric conditions identified during mandatory treatment by independent treatment providers. Adjusted rates of underdiagnosis were commonly high: 97.2% of bipolar disorder cases, 67.5% of major depression cases, 100% of obsessive–compulsive disorder cases, and 37.3% of drug use disorder cases remained undiagnosed during treatment. Rates of overdiagnosis were low for all disorders, with the exception of drug use disorders.”  These rates of misdiagnosis represent missed opportunities to treat patients and to cut down on DUI recidivism.

Source (from abstract): doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2007.04.012