A research study is proposed that will develop information on the perceptions of psychiatric patients who are inmates in corrections facilities with respect to the use and effectiveness of seclusion rooms.
Background information on the problem and analysis of this information within the context of the use of the seclusion concept in corrections facilities is presented in this section. The background and analysis is presented within the context of perceptions of the seclusion concept, effectiveness of the seclusion concept, and reducing violence without seclusion.
Wise, Mann, Murray, and Lopez (1988) found that psychiatric patients who had never been secluded held more negative feelings about seclusion rooms than did patients who had actually been secluded. They also found that female patients were more critical of the seclusion process than were male patients. The primary concerns of patients with respect to seclusion rooms were that such rooms would be without windows and that when secluded patients would receive only minimal attention. With respect to inmates in a correctional facility who also are psychiatric patients, these findings indicate that some inmate concerns over seclusion rooms may be allayed through the provision of information concerning the actual structure and configuration of seclusion rooms in use, as well as assurances that psychiatric care will continue to be provided as needed.
A study conducted by Wise, Mann, Leibenluft, and Goldberg (1989) found that psychiatric patients perceive seclusion rooms differently depending upon whether such rooms are visible to non secluded patients or are isolated and out of view. Patients tend to hold more unfavorable perceptions of seclusion rooms when such rooms are isolated than when they are visible to non secluded patients. Further, patients in facilities with visible seclusion rooms tend to think that secluded patients improve as a result of seclusion room ex...