Patient satisfaction with electroconvulsive therapy

Objective: To determine whether patients who have electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) are satisfied with their treatment and demonstrate more favorable attitudes about ECT compared with controls. Patients and Methods: We developed a 44-item survey measuring ECT treatment satisfaction and attitudes. The survey was administered to 24 psychiatric inpatients near the end of ECT treatment and 2 weeks later. A modified survey was administered to 24 outpatient controls who had never received ECT and who were recruited from a psychiatry clinic waiting room. Results: Patients who received ECT had positive attitudes about it. For example, 21 (91%) of 24 patient respondents endorsed the statement, 'I am glad that I received ECT.' Attitude score was significantly higher for the ECT group compared with controls. A higher degree of satisfaction was associated with a higher level of education and younger age. Conclusions: Patients who received ECT were satisfied with their treatment and had more favorable attitudes about it than patients who did not receive this treatment.