Estimating levels of disturbed behaviour among psychiatric in-patients using a general linear model

Disturbed behaviour was studied in relation to two contrasting ward environments, one representing the 'medical model' of psychiatry and the other being a modified form of 'therapeutic community'. A mathematical model was used in order to identify the characteristics of disturbed patients. The results suggested that behavioural disturbance of a patient in our sample was related to diagnosis, to the ward of admission and to the length of stay in hospital. Patients in all diagnostic categories tended to be more disturbed in the 'therapeutic community' than in the 'medical model' ward.