Predicting community tenure after psychiatric hospitalization

Seventy-seven state psychiatric hospital patients were interviewed six months following discharge in order to examine the relationship between a set of client variables and community length of stay (CLOS), but with a measure of client-perceived general well-being included as a possible mediator of relationships. A study of the relationship between CLOS and general well-being, using hierarchical regression analysis and path analysis, was expected to provide a more complete picture of client community functioning. Results demonstrated a strong relationship between CLOS and general well-being and, also, a number of measures predictive of community success related to CLOS only through general well-being. These findings indicated the importance of considering how clients perceive their general well-being in optimizing chances for community success.