Measuring the treatment environment of a psychiatric ward and a community mental health center after the Italian reform

In 1978 a major psychiatric reform drastically changed the Italian psychiatric system by the closing of admissions to mental hospitals and the development of psychiatric units in general hospitals and of alternative services in the community. The paper presents the results of a study in which two tr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Community mental health journal 1990-04, Vol.26 (2), p.193-204
Main Authors: Burti, L, Glick, I D, Tansella, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitude of Health Personnel
Community Mental Health Centers
Community Mental Health Centers - statistics & numerical data
Cross-Cultural Comparison
Deinstitutionalization - trends
Health Facilities
Health Facility Environment
Hospital Wards
Hospitals
Humans
Italy
Mental Disorders - rehabilitation
Mental health
Mental Health Services
Mental Hospitals
Mental institutions
Psychiatric Department, Hospital - statistics & numerical data
Social research
Therapy
United States
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Summary:In 1978 a major psychiatric reform drastically changed the Italian psychiatric system by the closing of admissions to mental hospitals and the development of psychiatric units in general hospitals and of alternative services in the community. The paper presents the results of a study in which two treatment environments set up according to the reform, i.e. a psychiatric unit in a general hospital and a community mental health center run by the same staff, were examined using the Ward Atmosphere Scale (WAS) and the Community Oriented Programs Environment Scale (COPES). In addition, validity studies of the Italian versions of the WAS and COPES are presented. Both instruments were found to be feasible and useful, easily understood, easy to administer and relatively well accepted by the psychiatric staff. The quality of the two scales has been confirmed by psychometric analysis, with the exception of the independence of scales. No major differences between the two environments emerged, both showing characteristics consistent with the new treatment philosophy.
ISSN:0010-3853
1573-2789
DOI:10.1007/BF00752395