Measuring communication and social skills in a high security forensic setting using the behavioural status index

Assessing patient functioning in the areas of communication and social skills is a core area of practice within psychiatric nursing. Difficulties within these areas can often represent the root of a number of presenting problems. Objective assessment can be difficult without a validated assessment schema. The Behavioural Status Index (BSI) offers such a system of baseline assessment and longitudinal monitoring as a basis for treatment, further specialised assessment, or measurement of outcome during and after interventions. This paper introduces some basic theory and describes the function and purpose of the BSI. This is followed by data analysis for the BSI communications and social skills sub-scale. Data were collected, using a repeated measures method by primary nurses, from a sample of 503 individual patients in two high security mental health hospitals. Results are reported for descriptive statistics, and factor analysis; and differences between the independent groups of Mental Health Act 1983 classification, ward dependency and gender. Data trends are indicative of clinically interesting relationships. A distinct factorial structure emerged suggesting groupings of assertive-interpersonal, non-verbal, social-perceptive and para-linguistic behaviours. Results are reported to be underpinning current European studies.