| Description |
This study was designed to investigate some characteristics of patients entering the Crisis Intervention, Partial Hospitalization, and Out-Patient treatment programs in a Comprehensive Community Mental Health Center. The characteristics studied were Life Change Units, Internal-External Locus of Control, Ego Strengths and Weaknesses, and some demographic variables. This study was undertaken to determine: (1) if any characteristics predominate among patients in one or another of the above-mentioned treatment programs; and (2) if there were relationships among Life Change Units, Internal-External Locus of Control, and Ego Strength and Weaknesses. Studies of life stress, ego strength, and internal external locus of control suggest that with increased life stress or with major changes in an individual's environment which require major changes or adjustments, there is a predisposition to illness. Furthermore, the type of treatment sought by the individual with and increase in life stress seemed to be related to the individual's adaptive capacity as well as utilization of his resource for support. Like-wise, one's return to a previous level of functioning seemed to be associated with one's adaptive capacities as well as one's perception of control or lack of control exhibited in relation to the disruptive events in one's life. However, the majority of research studies emphasized the stress theory without concomitantly studying individual ego strengths and weaknesses and locus of control. The questions under investigation in this study were: (1) are there differences in Life Change Units, Internal-External Locus of control and Ego Strengths of patients entering Crises Intervention, Partial Hospitalization, or Out-Patient treatment programs and; (2) are there relationships between Life Change Units, Internal-External Locus of Control, and Ego Strengths among patients in Crisis Intervention, Partial hospitalization, and Out-Patient treatment programs? Life changes or stresses were measured by the Schedule of Recent Experiences (Holmes, et al., 1958; 1972), which demonstrates that with an increase in life stresses or changes there is a predisposition to illness. Locus of Control was measured by Rotter's (1966) Internal-External Locus of Control which demonstrates that individuals who hold a belief in their own power to control their destiny have adjusted their expectancy of success and failure while the person who does not feel masterful of his environment does not take action to determine his present state. Ego strength was measured by Jacobs, et al. (1968) model of ego strengths and weaknesses. The sample chosen consisted of three groups of patients utilizing the treatment services of a comprehensive Community Mental Health Center for the first time. The exception to this was the partial Hospitalization Group who had been involved in treatment for one year. The total sample was 37. All subjects were given the SRE to measure recent life changes, the I-E to measure locus of control, the ESS to measure ego strength or weaknesses, and an information form for the compilation of demographic data. The critical findings were that all three groups exhibited no statistically significant differences on the SRE, I-E, and ESS. There was a difference among the three treatment groups and their SRE scores during the time period of two to three years ago. Over-reporting could have accounted for their elevated scores, but nevertheless, the SRE mean scores remain significant when reduced by 10% since they are still over the 300 LCU which predisposes one to illness. There were no significant differences between the groups on the I-E or ESS measures. It was anticipated that those subjects presenting themselves to the crisis intervention treatment program would exhibit higher ego strength scores. The findings do not support this expectation. There were no significant differences between the three treatment groups and demographic variables studied suggesting that the groups were comparable with regard to these variables. No significant associations were found between the major variables studied and the three treatment groups. There was a significant correlation between SEE scores from tow to three years ago and I-E. This association could have resulted because of a small sample and because of little variation on the SEE variables. |
