Dimensions in the perception of psychiatric patients by hospital staff

Agreement among psychiatric staff and the dimensions underlying such agreement in the perception of psychiatric patients were investigated using 2 Q-sorts, a Behavior (B) deck and an Interpersonal Characteristics (IC) deck. 11 patients were each rated by 5-8 judges. Mean global agreement (r) about patients ranged from .22 to .52 on the B deck, from .20 to .43 on the IC deck; there were significant differences (p < .001) with both sets of statements in amount of agreement about patients. Factor analysis of the matrices of Q correlations yielded 2 identifiable factors in each. In the B deck, they were interpreted as Manageability (B1) and Level of Psychopathology (B2); in the IC deck as Anxious Intropunitiveness (IC1) and Treatability (IC2). Coefficients of congruence between B1 and IC1 and between B2 and IC2 were .95 and -.81, respectively. Factors B1 and IC1 were discussed as comprising a psychiatric hospital variant of the favorability or evaluative dimension regularly found in studies of person perception.