[Interrelations of Objective Conditions on Psychiatric Wards and Ward Climate Characteristics].

OBJECTIVE: Investigate inter-relations of objective conditions and a ward's social climate.
METHOD: Staff and patients on 104 wards filled in the short Essen Climate Evaluation Schema (EssenCES). Assessments were related to setting variables (like open vs. closed wards, forensic vs. general psychiatric wards, ward size, staffing).
RESULTS: Setting variables and climate characteristics are strongly associated.
CONCLUSIONS: The EssenCES, originally catered for forensic settings, proved to be useful to characterize general psychiatric wards. A number of suggestions regarding relevant setting conditions are clearly confirmed (like staffing level; open vs. closed wards). Remarkably, staff experience a higher level of Safety on forensic than on general psychiatric wards. Patients' Cohesion and Therapeutic Hold are rated higher on general psychiatric wards. Heterogeneity of patients (vs. specialization of wards) is not positively related to climate characteristics; staff experiences less Safety on non-specialized wards. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.