Seeking admission to a veterans hospital: impression management

Psychiatric and medical patients can present a self-image consistent with their personal goals of early discharge or of lengthy hospitalization. Impression management to gain hospitalization may be a different process. A 2 X 2 X 2 ANACOVA tested whether type of problem (medical or psychiatric), first or multiple admission, or path of least resistance had any effect on impression management to gain hospitalization. Results were generally negative. The only significant variable was chronological age. Older patients endorsed more items flattering the hospital. These results were independent of degree of illness as judged by the patients and by physicians.