Do psychiatric advance directives protect autonomy?

A psychiatric advance directive (PAD) is a legal resource that allows a person to document his or her wishes about receiving mental health services in the event that he or she is unable to provide consent at a future time. Advantages for completing a PAD include promoting the person's autonomy and authentic self, minimizing harms, and promoting beneficence. However, more research is needed to describe the positive and negative consequences associated with completing and implementing a PAD in the clinical setting.