RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: The treatment setting of mental hospital has a great influence on the outcome of treatment. The authors compared the characteristics of treatment setting of the open and the closed wards in a mental hospital and the attitudes of the staff and patients on each ward. METHODS: Total four wards two typical open wards and two typical closed wards were selected and each contained one male ward and one female ward. Ward Atmosphere Scale(WAS) was conducted to each and the mean scores of suscales of WAS were compared by using Student's t-test. RESULTS: 1) The closed ward was similar to the treatment setting of control-oriented program which stresses the stator control and the nile of ward and ignores the autonomy of patients and such a evaluation was perceived more by the patients than by the staff. 2) The open ward supported and encouraged the staff and patients and focused on solving the practical problems of the patients, and especially the staff perceived it as the treatment program the activated ward. 3) It was shown that the open ward was more therapeutic and while it focused on the autonomous problem solving, the closed ward pup enguasis on the protection of patients. In addition, the patients were more sensitive to the difference of setting between the two wards than the star. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, if various and realistic programs were offered to the patients in the ward, the open ward would be proposed as a desirable therapeutic form for the chronic psychiatric inpatients.