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A high proportion of forensic mental health service users (FSUs) are recalled to secure hospitals from conditional discharge in the community. The limited research on recall to date has preliminarily identified why FSUs are recalled, but not how they make sense of the process. The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual understanding of how FSUs make sense of being recalled to hospital.

A constructivist grounded theory approach was used. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 11 FSUs from different levels of forensic service security who had been recalled varying numbers of times across a wide timeframe.

A theoretical model was constructed to illustrate the process of how FSUs make sense of being recalled. FSUs appraise being recalled on a continuum from negative to positive, based on their experiences when conditionally discharged and their reflections on the circumstances of being recalled. The nature of their appraisal appears to reciprocally influence their subsequent attitudes towards and their engagement with forensic services.

The proposed mechanism of how FSUs make sense of being recalled, particularly their dynamic appraisal of it, should now be investigated longitudinally. Future qualitative research could explore forensic service staff perspectives on recall.

Enhancing the positivity of FSUs’ appraisals about being recalled may improve their attitudes about and engagement with forensic services.

This is the first research study to construct a theoretical model of recall.

Aarhus Kommunes Biblioteker (Teknisk Bibliotek), Ingerslevs Plads 7, Aarhus, Denmark. Representative: V. NEDERGAARD PEDERSEN (Librarian).