Intrapsychic and environmental variables as predictors of length of hospitalization.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the competing hypotheses that environmental variables contribute independent variance to the prognosis of general psychological disorders or that their predictive potential is accounted for by their relationship to initial level of psychopathology and other biographical data. A survey of the last 10 years of prognostic research for hospitalized psychiatric patients (Clum, Note 1) suggests that the patient's role in the family and their expectations of him play significant parts in his adjustment. Others (Fulkerson & Barry, 1961) have argued that whatever prognostic validity psychological tests have could be attributed to the extent to which they measure severity of illness. A multiple regression analysis which included level of symptomatolog y, measures of the family environment, and biographical data provided the vehicle for testing these hypotheses. The measure of symptomatolog y was provided by the Katz Adjustment Scales (Katz & Lyerley, 1963) (significant-other forms), whcih yielded six symptom factors. The significant other was ,asked to rate his expectations of the patient's performance after hospitalization and the kinds of deviant behavior that would be tolerated before a hospital or mental health professional would be consulted. The patient's role in the family was inferred from two biographical variables, age and living with spouse after hospitalization. Length of hospitalization was the criterion used to determine prognosis. Subjects (JV=119) were consecutively admitted psychiatric patients at the University of Virginia Hospital. This sample was divided to test cross-validities of any significant relationships.