THE INFLUENCE OF A THERAPEUTIC-COMMUNITY ON PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDER

Forty-eight residents of a therapeutic community took part in a prospe ctive study aimed at assessing overall outcome and which components of the program were most helpful. All subjects had a DSM-III-R axis II d iagnosis, usually borderline personality disorder (N = 34). As well, s ubjects had a mean of 1.3 axis I diagnoses, underlining the severity o f their psychiatric disorders. Significant symptom reduction on the Br ief Symptom Inventory occurred at discharge after a mean stay of 64 da ys, with further significant falls at three month follow-up. These cha nges were paralleled in the Hostility and Direction of Hostility Quest ionnaire, a measure of personality. Hospital admission rates fell sign ificantly in the year after discharge. Clients rated group therapy as the most helpful component of the program. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.