Relationships between patients' perceived improvement and their evaluations of treatment components in a behaviorally-oriented psychiatric inpatient unit

Patients on a behaviorally-oriented inpatient psychiatric unit were asked to rate their perceptions of treatment outcome and the value of 16 program components in producing that outcome. Significant correlations were found between perceived outcome and positive evaluations of the overall behavioral treatment plan, individual meetings with nursing staff, individual meetings with team psychologists, assertion group training, and daily group therapy. Patients perceived individual meetings with the nursing staff to be the single most valuable program component among those related to favorable outcome. Implications for the increased utilization of nursing staff during a time of dwindling resources for mental health are discussed.