OBJECTIVE Little is known about the outcome of brief inpatient treatment interventions in routine psychiatric practice. The aim of this article was to study if subjective and assessed outcome of brief psychiatric inpatient care are related to patient characteristics, coercion at admission and during care, and other treatment characteristics. METHODS A total of 233 involuntarily and voluntarily admitted patients were interviewed within 5 days from admission and at discharge or after 3 weeks of care. Outcome was measured as reported by patients and by change in GAF (Global Assessment Scale) scores. RESULTS Predictors for a positive subjective outcome were if the patients reported that they had been well treated by the staff and had contact persons at the ward. Predictors for a GAF improvement were a low GAF score at admission and a mood disorder diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS Subjectively reported outcome and outcome measured by assessing change in level of functioning differed. Coercion was not related to outcome. The way the patient perceived they had been treated by the staff was strongly related to subjective outcome.