Some clinicians consider depot antipsychotics to be stigmatizing and coercive. Former coercion studies have predominantly considered hospital admission rather than medication. This cross-sectional study investigated patients' perspectives of coercion for depot and oral antipsychotics.

72 participants, with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder on voluntary maintenance medication were randomly selected for further in-depth interviews as a sub-sample from an antipsychotic attitudinal study. The MacArthur Admission Experience (short form) was adapted to explore coercion regarding medication. Scores were compared for formulation groups (depot versus oral).

Only 9 (12.5%) had no concerns about coercion. Coercion scores were higher for depot than oral in terms of total score (mean 4.39 vs 2.80, p=0.027), perceived coercion (2.52 vs 1.73, p=0.041) and negative pressures subscales (1.17 vs 0.33, p=0.009). No significant differences were found for the “voice” subscale (0.70 vs 0.73) and affective reactions. Specifically, more participants on depot felt that people try to force them to take medication (30% vs 2%, p<0.001).

To our knowledge, this is study is unique in that it reports specifically on coercion regarding both depot and oral antipsychotics, using systematic quantitative methodology. Participants felt that treatment with depots was more coercive than with oral antipsychotics and was associated with a relative lack of true autonomy. One reason for this might be that depots are “given” rather than “taken”; thus the “power of others” may be seen as more potent. Greater perceived coercion may explain why some consider depots to be a more stigmatizing form of treatment.