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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology

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01-05-2008 | ORIGINAL PAPER

Consensus judgments of discharge readiness based on paranoid behavior: to what are clinical staff responding?

Authors: Julian A. Salinas, PhD, Gordon L. Paul, PhD, Justin R. Springer, MA

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 5/2008

Abstract

Background

Salinas et al. (J Consult Clin Psychol 4:1029–1039, 2002) found that, contrary to widely held beliefs, paranoid behavior was a positive prognostic indicator for psychiatric inpatients only due to artifactual restrictions on overall level of functioning that result from traditional classification procedures. Paranoid functioning, in fact, negatively impacted consensus staff discharge-readiness judgments. This discrepancy between clinical lore and empirical findings raises a question about the aspects of paranoid functioning to which staff responds.

Method

Those aspects of paranoid functioning are examined in this study, using the same sample of 469 inpatients from 19 treatment units reported in the Salinas et al. investigation.

Results

Both dimensionally measured paranoid functioning and overall level of disability were independently associated with negative discharge-readiness decisions. However, rather than delusions or hallucinations, hostility entirely accounted for the contribution of paranoid functioning to these prognostic judgments.

Conclusion

We discuss implications of an alternative approach to classifying patients’ problem behavior for clinical research and practice.

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Title: Consensus judgments of discharge readiness based on paranoid behavior: to what are clinical staff responding?
Authors: Julian A. Salinas, PhD
Gordon L. Paul, PhD
Justin R. Springer, MA
Publication date: 01-05-2008
Publisher: Steinkopff-Verlag
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 5/2008
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-008-0319-z

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Consensus judgments of discharge readiness based on paranoid behavior: to what are clinical staff responding?

Abstract

Background

Method

Results

Conclusion

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Method

Results

Conclusion

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