#cockerham

Particularly noteworthy among the studies cited by Scheff (1974) is the work of Arnold Linsky (1970a, 1970b) and William Rushing (1971), who measured the ratio of involuntary to voluntary mental hospital admissions; both studies found a strong relationship between powerlessness (marginality) and hospital commitment. Research by Krohn and Akers (1977) further supports Scheff. This research concluded that extrapsychiatric factors (defined as social class, family influence, marital status, legal status by virtue of having a lawyer, and challenges to psychiatric decisions) were more significant than psychiatric factors (defined as the nature and severity of the mental disorder) in determining mental hospital admissions and discharges, both voluntary and involuntary. These extrapsychiatric factors generally favored more affluent persons and thus allowed them greater control over whether they were admitted or released, even though the nature and severity of their mental disorders were similar to those of less affluent or socially marginal persons. However, it seems likely that if a mental disorder is highly severe and disabling, and a case can be made that the afflicted person is a danger to self or others, that person is likely to be hospitalized regardless of who he or she is.