title: Characteristics of schizophrenia residents and staff rejection in community mental health hostels.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the era of deinstitutionalization, increasing numbers of schizophrenia patients reside and receive rehabilitational treatment within the framework of community hostels. The quality of staff-patient relationships is a crucial determinant of the rehabilitational process outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study examined the characteristics of 56 schizophrenia hostel residents, measured the degree of staff criticism and rejection expressed towards these patients and assessed the contribution of residents and staff characteristics to the induction of staff rejection. Measures included assessments of patients' symptoms using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), staff attitudes using the Patient Rejection Scale (PRS), and patients' living skills using the Independent Living Skills Survey (ILSS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Young, relatively inexperienced instructors represented 60% of the hostels staff. Residents' symptoms and staff rejection levels were overall low. However, significantly increased rejection was expressed towards patients who were more symptomatic, as measured by PANSS total and positive symptoms scores and had diminished job-related and health care living skills. Staff older age and longer professional experience were correlated with higher rejection scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Relatively small sample size and catchment area.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings highlight the need for a better definition and understanding of schizophrenia residents selection criteria and treatment goals in community hostels. Moreover, they suggest that improvements in this area should be coupled with the provision of specialized staff training aiming at the achievement of more flexible staff attitudes. Within this framework, the PRS may serve as a practical, cost-effective tool for monitoring crucial aspects of staff-patients relationships.
authors.affiliation: Beersheba Mental Health Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel.
authors.forename: Eynat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Gaby
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shefler
authors.forename: Uri
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Loewenthal
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Umansky
authors.forename: Gali
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bar
authors.forename: Uriel
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Heresco-Levy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012059:Rejection, Psychology; D012114:Residential Treatment; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires