Effects of brief hospitalization on psychiatric patients' behaviour and social functioning

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Newly admitted inpatients (224) were randomly allocated to 2 treatment groups: standard care (length of stay determined by the clinical team) and brief care (acute treatment aimed at effecting the patient''s discharge after about a week). Using a new research instrument (the Patient Behavior Assessment Schedule), information was gathered from the patient''s closest relative or friend on a subsample of 99 patients (the target group), which actually showed shortened length of hospitalization for brief care patients. There were no significant differences between groups at the 2 follow-up evaluations on measures of behavioral disturbance and limited social functioning. Results for the whole target group reveal that although there was significant improvement in behavior and social functioning 2 wk after admission, there was little subsequent change thereafter. Overall, individual patients demonstrated more improvement in behavioral disturbance than in social functioning at the follow-up interview.