On being sane in insane places: A supplemental report

Describes the author's experiences as a pseudo-patient on the psychiatric ward of a large public hospital for 19 days. Hospital facilities were judged excellent, and therapy tended to be extensive. Close contact with both patients and staff was obtained. Despite this contact, however, not only was the author's simulation not detected, but his behavior was seen as consistent with the admitting diagnosis of "chronic undifferentiated schizophrenia." Even with this misattribution it is concluded that the present institution had many positive aspects and that the depersonalization of patients so strongly emphasized by D. Rosehan (see record 1973-21600-001) did not exist in this setting. It is recommended that future research address positive characteristics of existing institutions and possibly emulate these in upgrading psychiatric care. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).