Ward Atmosphere Scale (WAS)

Instrument Description:

The Ward Atmosphere Scale (WAS) assesses the social climate or treatment environment of hospital-based psychiatric treatment programs. The Scale yields ten scores, as described below. In addition to the standard scales, the WAS has three special scales predictive of dropout, release, and community tenure rates.

Each scale taps three sets of dimensions:

Norms are based on patients and staff from 160 treatment programs

Instrument Development and Research Contact: Rudolf Moos, Ph.D.

Instrument and scoring instruction availability: Rudolf Moos, Ph.D.


References:

Moos, R. (1997). Evaluating Treatment Environments: The Quality of Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Programs. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

/* This book provides more detailed information on the research and practical applications of the Community-Oriented Programs Environment Scale and the Ward Atmosphere

Scale.Timko, C., Moos, R. & Finney, J. (2000). Models of matching patients and treatment programs. In Craik, K., Price, R., & Walsh, W. B. (Eds.), Person-environment psychology: New directions and perspectives. (2nd Ed.; pp. 169-196). Hillsdale, N.J.: Erlbaum.

/* This chapter focuses on the use of the Community-Oriented Programs Environment Scale and the Ward Atmosphere Scale to develop and evaluate models of matching patients and treatment environments.