title: Paraprofessional and patient assessment criteria of patients' recovery: why the discrepancy?
abstract: Explored paraprofessionals' and patients' assessment criteria of therapeutic goals, especially patient recovery, in light of the increased use of mental health paraprofessionals in mental health settings. Patients (N = 146) and psychiatric technicians at a large state mental hospital were asked to make evaluative judgments about patients. The judgments were composed of four global ratings and 22 items that concerned behavior or inferences about behavior. Results indicate that psychiatric technicians utilize a multidimensional hierarchal decision model, while patients utilize a unidimensional and undifferentiated evaluation framework. This incongruence could lead to problems for both patients and staff.
mesh_terms: D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D012742:Sex Offenses; D012917:Social Adjustment