Stability of perceived ward atmosphere over time, diagnosis and gender for patients with psychosis.

In this study the focus was on patients with psychosis treated in a psychiatric rehabilitation unit in southern Sweden. The study described the stability of the ward atmosphere over 2 years, as well as differences between subgroups of patients regarding gender and diagnosis. Furthermore, the perceived ward atmosphere was compared with what has been recommended in the literature. The ward atmosphere was measured by The Community-Oriented Programs Environment Scale (COPES) five times during a 2-year period. The ward atmosphere was fairly stable over time, and in several respects it met the recommendations suggested for psychotic patients. There were few differences between schizophrenia patients and patients with other psychoses. No difference was found in perceived ward atmosphere with respect to gender. The study showed that the investigated unit, admitting almost only patients with psychosis, could provide a ward atmosphere accordance with the recommendations, probably due to a carefully planned program with a psychodynamically oriented supportive treatment milieu.