The assessment of social breakdown in newly-admitted psychiatric patients.

This paper presents a study of patients' social and domestic functioning preceding admission to a psychiatric hospital. A method is described for the quantitative assessment of 'social breakdown' in the areas of work, domestic performance and social group activity, based on reports from the patient and from another household member. Complementary changes in the domestic tasks carried out by other family members are also investigated. The sample consisted of 28 women and 17 men. Their usual level of functioning and their degree of breakdown are related to psychiatric diagnosis on admission, to the patient's position within the family and to the social class of the household. Discrepancies between reports are also investigated in relation to these variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]