Factors related to the successful performance of psychiatric aides

Psychiatric aides play a vital role in providing daily care for the mentally ill. Yet despite their importance in the mental health system, little research has been done into the selection, hiring, training, and retention of aides. In the first phase of a two-phase study of aides in psychiatric centers in New York State, the authors used several data instruments on four major populations of aides and supervisors. The authors isolated several characteristics, notably sex of the aide and relationship with the supervisor, that seem to be associated with tenure in the position. The implications of the study for the training of aides and for future research are briefly discussed.