AN EVALUATION OF THRESHOLD THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITIES IN NORTHERN-IRELAND

Objective: To measure the effects of providing a therapeutic community environment for patients suffering from severe mental illness. Method : 35 patients who remained in a therapeutic community environment for a minimum of 18 months were administered three instruments which measu red psychiatric symptomatology (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale), intra psychic and interpersonal functioning (Therapeutic Community Questionn aire) and overall psychiatric and psychological functioning (Global As sessment Scale). Assessments were carried out at zero and 18 months. R esults: The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale revealed significant positi ve changes on the two items of blunted affect and un-cooperativeness w hile the global assessment scale revealed that patients significantly improved after 18 months. Conclusion: Patients who remained in a thera peutic community environment for 18 months demonstrated benefits on th ree particular variables. While no causative link can be proposed in t his study, it does seem that this environment does improve the functio ning of severely mentally ill patients.