The Essen Climate Evaluation Schema EssenCES: A Manual and More

The Essen Climate Evaluation Schema (EssenCES) described here isa short, well-validated questionnaire that measures three essentialfacets of an institution's social atmosphere. An overview of the EssenCESis followed by detailed advice on how to administer and scoreit and how to interpret findings, as well as reference norms from variouscountries and types of institutions. The EssenCES "manual andmore" is thus a highly useful tool for researchers, clinicians, and servicemanagers working in forensic settings.

Table of Contents:
PrefaceAcknowledgments1 OverviewNorbert Schalast & Matthew TonkinAims and Background of the EssenCESVersions of the EssenCES and Web InformationResearch and PublicationsObjective of This Manual2 Conceptual FrameworkNorbert SchalastMeasuring Social ClimatePlausibility of the EssenCES DimensionsAre Three Dimensions Sufficient?3 Administration and ScoringMatthew TonkinIntroductionWhy Should the EssenCES Be Used?Who Should Complete an EssenCES Questionnaire?Is the EssenCES Questionnaire Appropriate forEverybody?How Should the EssenCES Be Administered to Staffand Residents?How Many Completed EssenCES QuestionnairesAre Needed for an Assessment?What to Do With the EssenCES QuestionnairesOnce They Have Been Completed?4 Interpretation and FeedbackMatthew Tonkin, Andrew Day, Sharon Casey, andNorbert SchalastA Description of the Normative Samples UsedNormative Statistics for the EssenCESInterpretative Guidelines for the EssenCES5 Psychometric PropertiesMatthew Tonkin, Andrew Day, Sharon Casey, andNorbert SchalastBasic Psychometric Properties of the EssenCES inForensic Psychiatric Hospital SettingsBasic Psychometric Properties of the EssenCES inPrison SettingsConclusion6 Lessons Learnt From Past Studies andDirections for Future ResearchNorbert SchalastLimitations of Past Social Climate ResearchThe Importance of Covering HeterogeneousConditions in a SurveyEvaluating Social Climate Scores on a Ward (orWing) LevelOn Meaningful Deployment of the EssenCES inSocial Climate ResearchMultiple Determinants of the Social ClimateConclusion7 Fostering the Social Climate in Secure SettingsNorbert Schalast and Birgit VollmResearch on Improving the Social Climate of Wardsand UnitsDifficult EnvironmentsUsing the EssenCES Dimensions to Consider Waysof Fostering the EnvironmentFacilitating the Discussion of Ward Climate IssuesConclusion8 References9 Appendix10 Contributors

About the Author :
Norbert Schalast, PhD, is a psychologist andlicensed psychotherapist working as a projectmanager at the Institute of Forensic Psychiatry,University of Duisburg / Essen in Germany. Adecade of therapeutic work at the department offorensic psychiatry of the Viersen State MentalHospital (LVR-Klinik Viersen) kindled his interestin the issue of institutional social climate.Matthew Tonkin, PhD, is a lecturer in forensicpsychology at Birmingham City University, UK. Hehas a wide range of research interests, includingvarious areas of investigative psychology and theassessment of social climate in secure settings.During his career he has been involved indeveloping and validating questionnaire measuresof social climate and in the monitoring of climatein secure settings.

Review :
This manual is a very readable account not only of how to administer and interpret the EssenCES but also of ways to improve the therapeutic climate on a ward or prison wing. All clinicians and researchers who want to help make forensic treatment environments safe and effective should buy this book."; Mary McMurran, PhD, Professor of Personality Disorder Research, Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, UK