The development of a rehabilitation psychology program for persons with schizophrenia: Changes in the treatment environment.

Reports the changes that occurred over a 4-yr period at a therapeutic community for persons with schizophrenia when a rehabilitation psychology program was added to the traditional inpatient treatment and eventually replaced it. Data collected (from patients and staff members over the 4 yrs) using the Community Oriented Programs Environment Scale revealed several significant and desirable changes in the quality of the perceived treatment environment, including increases in practical orientation and autonomy. Specific interventions that accounted for improvement in the rehabilitation potential of the treatment environment are described. Conceptual differences between the traditional inpatient psychiatric model and the rehabilitation psychology model are outlined. Value differences between these 2 models are presented as an explanation for the failure of rehabilitation services offered adjunctively with traditional psychiatric services. The treatment environment changed only when rehabilitation became a central part of the treatment philosophy. The fundamental differences between these 2 treatment approaches are related to reports of improved outcome from programs using psychosocial models. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)