A study employing a control group was conducted in a Veterans Administration psychiatric hospital to determine the effect of casework upon relatives of patients leaving the hospital. Thirty-four veterans and their most significant relatives were rated before and after casework intervention. Few statistically significant changes were found in the sample studied. Relatives who had received casework perceived that the patient changed in his being demanding and stubborn and also had changed his behavior in relation to family routines. Replication with a larger and more representative sample of patients leaving a psychiatric hospital is recommended.
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