The EssenCES measure of social climate: a preliminary validation and normative data in UK high secure hospital settings.

Background: The social climate of forensic units is important but little investigated, in part because of the unavailability of a clinically practical and statistically sound measure.

Aims: To provide preliminary psychometric and normative data for the English version of the Essen Climate Evaluation Schema (EssenCES) in UK high-security hospital settings.

Method: A total of 324 staff and patients from three high-security hospital services completed the EssenCES, and a subgroup completed a range of other questionnaires related to therapeutic milieu and working environment (GMI, WAAM, WES-10).

Results: The original three-factor structure and satisfactory internal consistency were retained. The pattern of correlations between the EssenCES scales and other climate-related variables support the construct validity of the EssenCES measure, with the exception of the Patient Cohesion subscale.

Conclusions: Although preliminary, these data suggest that the English version of EssenCES may be a valid tool for assessing the social climate of high secure hospital settings in the UK, but a larger research study is required, covering a wider range of psychiatric disorders, types of service and levels of security.