The retrospective examination encompassed the records of 26 adult patients who ultimately required seclusion. A patient group of equal size with identical diagnoses, for whom coercive measures were not required, was used as a comparison. The basis for the qualitative and quantitative text analysis was the notes from the three days preceding an escalation. The results showed that the case notes before seclusion were more extensive, meaning they contained a significantly higher number of words. "It seems that the attending staff describe problematic behavior more comprehensively in order to improve information transfer between different shifts, justify upcoming coercive measures and ensure that they are legally protected," says Dr. Clara Stepanow, author of the study. - www.sciencedaily.com