Effectiveness of college students in an incentive community program for chronic hospitalized patients.

The study describes and assesses an incentive community program implemented by college students for all of the chronic hospitalized patients living in a locked ward. Behavioral ratings of ward behavior and discharge rates were significantly higher for the experimental than for matched control patients. Bed-wetting was eliminated in 70% of the bed-wetting patients. Students rated the incentive community program more effective in changing the behavior of patients than students' ratings of a case-aide program. No differences in patient behaviors were found between the incentive community and case-aide program.