SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS OF A THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY MILIEU

INVESTIGATED THE REACTIONS OF 30 PATIENTS AND 10 STAFF MEMBERS IN A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF DAILY SETTINGS IN A PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENT WARD IN ORDER TO ASSESS THE RELATIVE AMOUNTS OF VARIANCE ACCOUNTED FOR BY SETTINGS, INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES, MODES OF RESPONSE, AND THEIR INTERACTIONS. RESULTS INDICATE THAT, FOR PATIENTS, INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES ACCOUNTED FOR MORE VARIANCE THAN SETTING DIFFERENCES; FOR STAFF, INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES GENERALLY ACCOUNTED FOR LESS VARIANCE THAN SETTING DIFFERENCES. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE INDIVIDUALS * SETTINGS INTERACTIONS GENERALLY ACCOUNTED FOR APPROXIMATELY 20% OF THE TOTAL VARIANCE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT INDIVIDUALS, SETTINGS, MODES OF RESPONSE, AND THEIR INTERACTIONS EACH CONTRIBUTE PRACTICALLY IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS OF TOTAL VARIANCE, AND THAT EACH OF THESE SOURCES OF VARIATION MUST BE SAMPLED IN ATTEMPTS TO MEASURE AND PREDICT INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR. (19 REF.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1968 American Psychological Association.