Abstract
The purpose of this study is to identify the "personal space" and "territory" of patients who have psychotic disorders. There are two research questions. 1. Do clients have their own territories when they eat meals? What places do they select for their territories? and 2. What is the relationship among diagnosis, the extent of the personal space, and the private or social nature of territory? The data collection was carried out on twenty occations between April 1991 and January 1992. I observed the behavior of 38 patients when I was a nursing student in the open psychiatric unit of a large urban medical center. Observations were made for two hours before and after meal times. I also conducted various interviews with the patients. The data revealed the following. Some of the patients have their own territory during meals. These territories can be divided into three categories. There are 1) partially permanent territory, 2) permanent territory. 3) temporary territory. Patients who had their territorry invaded by others, expressed their resistance both verbally and facial expressions. The 27 patients who selected a pertially permanent territory, such as a table in the day room, did not avoid communication with other patients. Their partially permanent territory took on a social character. On the other hand, patients who shunned company and need a wider personal space required a territory which takes on a private character. Most of these patients were diagnosed with schizophrenia. Nishizono's theory may explain why patients diagnosed with schizophrenia do not have their territory in a social place. He theorizes that the ego identity boundary of a patient with schizophrenia is broken. I found that the personal space boundary is also fixed and has no flexibility. It could be said that invading personl space and territory of patients with schizophrenia implies an intrusion into their identity. Those patients can feel at ease in a territory where they have wider personal space. The territory also has a private character. This territory must be defended against intrusion by other people. If one wants to come into the patient's territory in a private place, then one would most apprppriately ask for the consent of the patient.
