What do we know about the experience of seclusion in a forensic setting? An integrative literature review.

The review included only a small number of studies, so the themes cannot be assumed to apply to every forensic mental health setting. Security levels varied, and findings from rehabilitation or unspecified forensic settings may not generalise to high secure wards. Some studies combined seclusion with physical restraint or forced medication, making it difficult to separate experiences specific to seclusion. The review could not determine whether women and men experience seclusion differently because most studies did not report responses by sex. Female and non-binary experiences were underrepresented.

Do not read the positive experiences as evidence that seclusion is beneficial or safe. The review found seclusion was largely negative, harmful, and punitive, and some positive reports reflected patients' need for calm, privacy, or safety rather than proof that seclusion works.