Factors influencing the ward atmosphere.

On 35 short-term wards the connection between ward atmosphere as perceived by patients and various setting and treatment characteristics was explored by the use of a hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The most important variables proved to be: mean age of patients, percentage of psychotic patients, number of patients, staff turnover rate, and interaction score. A higher mean age of patients was associated with changes in the ward atmosphere preferred by older patients. An increased percentage of psychotic patients and an increased number of patients were associated with changes which were probably anti-therapeutic for psychotic patients. Increased staff turnover was paralleled by changes which were probably unfavourable for both psychotic and nonpsychotic patients. An increased emphasis on interaction was paralleled by changes which were probably beneficial for nonpsychotic patients, but partly unfavourable for psychotic patients.