ABSTRACT
Partial hospital programs exert their primary therapeutic effect through the milieu they provide. In this respect, they have much in common with that of an inpatient program. Washburn and Conrad (1979) identified “containment, support, structure, involvement, and validation” as essential elements of both types of programs. But there are important differences; these authors suggested that the crucial difference is that inpatient programs can fall back on coercion, but partial hospitalization essentially relies on negotiation. Containment is achieved by sending patients home, as opposed to secluding or restraining them, and goals are negotiated based on patients’ wishes.
