SCHIZOPHRENICS IN THE NEW CUSTODIAL COMMUNITY - FIVE YEARS AFTER THE EXPERIMENT

• NCJ Number: 15313
• Author(s): A E DAVIS; S DINITZ; B PASAMANICK
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 242 pages
• Sale Source: Ohio State University Press
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

QUALITATIVE CASE HISTORIES AND QUANTITATIVE FINDINGS OF A RESEARCH EFFORT THAT INVESTIGATED THE LONG-TERM ADAPTIVE PATTERNS OF SCHIZOPHRENICS.

Abstract

THIS VOLUME PRESENTS THE RESULTS OF SEVEN YEARS OF RESEARCH INFORMATION ON 152 SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS WITH WHOM STUDY BEGAN IN A HOME CARE EXPERIMENT IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY; THIS ORIGINAL STUDY STARTED IN 1961 AND ENDED IN 1964. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE EXPERIMENT IN 1961 WAS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT ACTIVELY PSYCHOTIC PATIENTS COULD BE TREATED IN THEIR HOMES AS SUCCESSFULLY, IF NOT MORE SUCCESSFULLY, AS IN HOSPITAL FACILITIES. THREE STUDY GROUPS WERE USED. THE HOME CARE DRUG GROUP WAS SENT HOME ON DRUGS UNDER THE CARE OF THE STUDY CLINIC. THE INSTITUTE TREATMENT CENTER (ITC). A SECOND GROUP WAS SENT HOME ON PLACEBO MEDICATION, AND A CONTROL GROUP WAS RETURNED TO THE HOSPITAL TO UNDERGO THE USUAL CARE. THE MAJOR FINDING OF THIS STUDY WAS THAT ACUTELY PSYCHOTIC PATIENTS COULD BE SUCCESSFULLY CARED FOR AT HOME, IF THEY WERE ON DRUGS, THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS FOLLOW-UP RESEARCH WAS TO ASSESS THE PROGRAM'S LASTING EFFECTS ON PATIENT ADJUSTMENT FIVE YEARS LATER AND TO COMPARE THE LONG-TERM ADJUSTMENTS OF PATIENTS AT FOLLOWUP WITH THEIR STATUS AT INTAKE. THIS WOULD PRODUCE DATA ON PATIENT TENDENCIES TO EITHER IMPROVE, RETAIN STATUS QUO, OR DETERIORATE OVER TIME, OVER 90 PERCENT OF THE ORIGINAL PROGRAM SUBJECTS WERE LOCATED AND STUDIED. SAMPLE CASE HISTORIES OF REPRESENTATIVE PATIENT SUCCESSES AND FAILURES ARE INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT. ALMOST ALL OF THE ORIGINAL PROJECT STAFF WERE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST IN THIS FOLLOW-UP EVALUATION. EXAMINATION OF SEVERAL PERFORMANCE VARIABLES SHOWED THAT THE ITC CARE WAS EFFECTIVE ONLY WHILE IT WAS AN ONGOING PROGRAM, ONCE THE HOME CARE EXPERIMENT HAD TERMINATED AND PATIENTS WERE SUBJECTED TO ROUTINE STATE CARE FOR MENTAL PATIENTS, THE MENTAL STATUS AND ADJUSTMENTS OF PATIENTS IN THE THREE GROUPS BECAME SIMILAR. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS COPIES OF THE DATA COLLECTION FORMS AND TABLES OF RESEARCH DATA COLLECTED IN THE FOLLOW-UP. A 14-PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED.