The study is investigating how the "sick role" of the first admission psychiatric patient is either sustained or dispelled during the one year period following hospital discharge. Data from observations of in-hospital processing in two different hospital systems, and from four successive rounds of interviews with discharged patients, family members and treatment agents are used to ask: 1) how the patient, family and treatment system contribute to social labeling; and 2) how labeling affects clinical symptoms and social performance. The research is guided by two levels of hypotheses. Within the treatment system, we hypothesize that the more "intrapsychic" the dominant explanations of illness, the higher the level at which treatment discretion is located, and the greater the continuity between inpatient and followup care, the more likely it is that treated patients will be maintained in the sick role. Interpersonally, we hypothesize that the more intrapsychic the beliefs of relatives, friends and treatment agents about mental illness, and the greater the power of these parties relative to the patient, the greater the probability that the patient will be maintained in the sick role. Data collection will be completed and analysis begun during the current year.