Neslihan Lok and Kadriye Buldukogl
Objective: Hospitalization for patients with psychiatric disorders involves situations such as getting away from their usual environment and being together with unfamiliar people. The aim of the present research was to evaluate the effect of therapeutic atmosphere in a psychiatry clinic on social functionality of in-patients. Method: The research has been planned as a descriptive and relational type and conducted with 50 patients who accepted to participate in and who had been hospitalized in Psychiatry Ward. Results: In the light of findings of the present study, a relation was found between therapeutic atmosphere and social functionality. It was determined that there was statistical significance between “social functionality scale� scores of the patients and their gender and medical diagnosis. Social functionality which was acquired in the ward maintained for a month after discharge. Conclusion: The most important finding of the present study has been that male patients were more socially functional than female patients and that functionality was maintained for one month after discharge. The results of the research carried out in the psychiatric clinic, as well as contribution to the development of patient care team members that may lead to the work.