The atmosphere of the ward: Attunements and attachments of everyday life for patients on a medium-secure forensic psychiatric unit

Article


Kanyeredzi, A., Brown, Steven D., McGrath, L. and Tucker, I. 2019. The atmosphere of the ward: Attunements and attachments of everyday life for patients on a medium-secure forensic psychiatric unit. The Sociological Review. 67 (2), pp. 444-466. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038026119829751
AuthorsKanyeredzi, A., Brown, Steven D., McGrath, L. and Tucker, I.
Abstract

The climate or atmosphere of a ward in secure psychiatric care is typically studied by examining the relationship between social and environmental factors. However the experiences of patients are irreducible to a set of discrete dimensions or factors. Drawing on recent work in affect theory and architectural studies, we argue for an approach to atmosphere that places it ‘in-between’ persons and space, as a ‘spatially extended quality of feeling’ of which patients are intimately aware. The article discusses empirical material drawn from a broader study of inpatient medium-secure forensic care in a large hospital in the South of England. We show how the process of becoming attuned to the fluctuations and shifts in the atmosphere of the ward is a critical aspect of everyday life for patients. Attunement cuts across existing notions of power and resistance in these settings. We also demonstrate how attachments to a range of objects, some created by patients, can either expand or punctualize attunement, enabling change in the overall atmosphere. We conclude by speculating on how we might rethink spaces of recovery on an ethospheric basis.

JournalThe Sociological Review
Journal citation67 (2), pp. 444-466
ISSN0038-0261
Year2019
PublisherSAGE Publications
Accepted author manuscript
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1177/0038026119829751
Web address (URL)https://doi.org/10.1177/0038026119829751
Publication dates
Online28 Feb 2019
Print01 Mar 2019
Publication process dates
Deposited21 Feb 2019
Accepted15 Jan 2019
Accepted15 Jan 2019
Copyright holder© 2019 The Authors
Copyright informationAs accepted for publication in The Sociological Review: Kanyeredzi, Ava and Brown, Steven D. and McGrath, Laura and Tucker, Ian M. ‘The atmosphere of the ward: Attunements and attachments of everyday life for patients on a medium-secure forensic psychiatric unit’, The Sociological Review 67(2) pp. 444-466. DOI: 10.1177/0038026119829751
LicenseAll rights reserved
Permalink -

https://repository.uel.ac.uk/item/84476

Download files


Accepted author manuscript
  • 237
    total views
  • 354
    total downloads
  • 2
    views this month
  • 2
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Temporalities of peer support: the role of digital platforms in the ‘living presents’ of mental ill-health
Tucker, I. 2024. Temporalities of peer support: the role of digital platforms in the ‘living presents’ of mental ill-health. Health Sociology Review. 33 (1), pp. 59-72. https://doi.org/10.1080/14461242.2024.2322531
Digitally mediated psychotherapy: Intimacy, distance, and connection in virtual therapeutic spaces
Tucker, I. 2024. Digitally mediated psychotherapy: Intimacy, distance, and connection in virtual therapeutic spaces. European Journal of Psychotherapy & Counselling. In Press. https://doi.org/10.1080/13642537.2024.2313193
The emotional in-formation of digital life: Simondon, individuation and affectivity
Tucker, I. 2023. The emotional in-formation of digital life: Simondon, individuation and affectivity. Distinktion: Scandinavian Journal of Social Theory. In Press. https://doi.org/10.1080/1600910X.2023.2224523
Digital community assets: Investigating the impact of online engagement with arts and peer support groups on mental health during COVID-19
Tucker, I., Easton, K. and Prestwood, R 2023. Digital community assets: Investigating the impact of online engagement with arts and peer support groups on mental health during COVID-19. Sociology of Health & Illness. 45 (3), pp. 666-683. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.13620
Muting, filtering and transforming space: Autistic children's sensory ‘tactics’ for navigating mainstream school space following transition to secondary school
Birkett, L., McGrath, L. and Tucker, I. 2022. Muting, filtering and transforming space: Autistic children's sensory ‘tactics’ for navigating mainstream school space following transition to secondary school. Emotion, Space and Society. 42 (Art. 100872). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emospa.2022.100872
Simondon, emotion, and individuation: The tensions of psychological life in digital worlds
Tucker, I. 2021. Simondon, emotion, and individuation: The tensions of psychological life in digital worlds . Theory & Psychology. 32 (1), pp. 3-18. https://doi.org/10.1177/09593543211055199
Covert Aspects of Surveillance and the Ethical Issues They Raise
Harper, D., Ellis, D. and Tucker, I. 2021. Covert Aspects of Surveillance and the Ethical Issues They Raise. in: Iphofen, R. and O’Mathúna, D. (ed.) Ethical Issues in Covert Research, Security and Surveillance Emerald Publishing Limited. pp. 177-197
(Re)thinking body-technology relations with Michel Serres: Emotion, sense and the emergence of algorithmic appropriation
Tucker, I. 2021. (Re)thinking body-technology relations with Michel Serres: Emotion, sense and the emergence of algorithmic appropriation. Media Theory. 5 (1), pp. 219-230.
Peripheral recovery: Keeping safe and keep progressing as contradictory modes of ordering on a forensic psychiatric unit
McGrath, L., Brown, S., Kanyeredzi, A., Reavey, P. and Tucker, I. 2021. Peripheral recovery: Keeping safe and keep progressing as contradictory modes of ordering on a forensic psychiatric unit. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space. 39 (4), pp. 704-721. https://doi.org/10.1177/02637758211013032
Emotion in the Digital Age: Technologies, Data and Psychosocial Life
Ellis, D. and Tucker, I. 2020. Emotion in the Digital Age: Technologies, Data and Psychosocial Life. London Routledge.
Digitally Mediated Emotion: Simondon, Affectivity and Individuation
Tucker, I. 2018. Digitally Mediated Emotion: Simondon, Affectivity and Individuation. in: Sampson, Tony David, Maddison, Stephen and Ellis, Darren (ed.) Affect and Social Media: Emotion, Mediation, Anxiety and Contagion Rowman & Littlefield.
Shifting landscapes of care and distress: A topological understanding of rurality
Tucker, I. 2017. Shifting landscapes of care and distress: A topological understanding of rurality. in: Soldatic, Karen and Johnson, Kelley (ed.) Disability and Rurality: Identity, Gender and Belonging Routledge. pp. 184-198
Social media and mental health: A topological approach
Goodings, L. and Tucker, I. 2018. Social media and mental health: A topological approach. in: McGrath, Laura and Reavey, Paula (ed.) The Handbook of Mental Health and Space: Community and Clinical Applications Routledge.
The Psychological Impact of Austerity: A Briefing Paper
McGrath, L., Griffin, Vanessa, Mundy, Ed and Psychologists for Social Change 2015. The Psychological Impact of Austerity: A Briefing Paper. Psychologists for Social Change.
Social Psychology of Emotion
Ellis, D. and Tucker, I. 2014. Social Psychology of Emotion. SAGE Publications.
Electroconvulsive Therapy for Depression: A Review of the Quality of ECT vs Sham ECT Trials and Meta-Analyses
Read, J., Kirsch, I. and Mcgrath, L. 2019. Electroconvulsive Therapy for Depression: A Review of the Quality of ECT vs Sham ECT Trials and Meta-Analyses. Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry. 21 (2), pp. 64-103. https://doi.org/10.1891/EHPP-D-19-00014
Organizing the sensory: Ear-work, panauralism and sonic agency on a forensic psychiatric unit
Brown, S., Kanyeredzi, A., Mcgrath, L., Reavey, P. and Tucker, I. 2019. Organizing the sensory: Ear-work, panauralism and sonic agency on a forensic psychiatric unit. Human Relations. 73 (11), pp. 1537-1562. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726719874850
Affect Theory and the Concept of Atmosphere
Tucker, I., Brown, S., Kanyeredzi, A., Mcgrath, L. and Reavey, P. 2019. Affect Theory and the Concept of Atmosphere. Distinktion: Scandinavian Journal of Social Theory. 20 (1), pp. 5-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/1600910X.2019.1586740
Temporalities of Mental Distress: Digital Immediacy and the Meaning of 'Crisis' in Online Support
Tucker, I. M. and Lavis, A 2019. Temporalities of Mental Distress: Digital Immediacy and the Meaning of 'Crisis' in Online Support. Sociology of Health & Illness. 41 (S1), pp. 132-146. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.12943
Building visual worlds: Using maps in qualitative psychological research on affect and emotion
McGrath, L., Mullarkey, Shauna and Reavey, Paula 2019. Building visual worlds: Using maps in qualitative psychological research on affect and emotion. Qualitative Research in Psychology. 17 (1), pp. 75-97. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2019.1577517
Living ‘in between’ outside and inside: The forensic psychiatric unit as an impermanent assemblage
Tucker, I., Brown, Steven D., Kanyeredzi, A., McGrath, L. and Reavey, Paula 2018. Living ‘in between’ outside and inside: The forensic psychiatric unit as an impermanent assemblage. Health & Place. 55, pp. 29-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2018.10.009
Agents and spectres: Life-space on a medium secure forensic psychiatric unit
Reavey, P., Brown, S.D., Kanyeredzi, A., McGrath, L. and Tucker, I. 2018. Agents and spectres: Life-space on a medium secure forensic psychiatric unit. Social Science & Medicine. 220, pp. 273-282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.11.012
Psychologists Against Austerity: Mobilising Psychology for Social Change
McGrath, L., Walker, Carl and Jones, Christopher 2016. Psychologists Against Austerity: Mobilising Psychology for Social Change. Critical and Radical Social Work. 4 (1), pp. 409-413. https://doi.org/10.1332/204986016X14721364317537
Facing the void: Embodying fear in childhood homes
Del Busso, Lilliana, McGrath, L., Guest, Carly, Reavey, Paula, Kanyeredzi, A. and Majumdar, Anamika 2018. Facing the void: Embodying fear in childhood homes. Emotion, Space and Society. 28, pp. 24-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emospa.2018.06.004
Through the prison walls: Using published poetry to explore current UK prisoners’ narratives of past, present and future selves
Devaliant, G., McGrath, L. and Kougiali, G. 2018. Through the prison walls: Using published poetry to explore current UK prisoners’ narratives of past, present and future selves. Qualitative Research in Psychology. 17 (2), pp. 240-257. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2018.1442701
Feeling ‘like a minority…a pathology’: interpreting race from research with African and Caribbean women on violence and abuse
Kanyeredzi, A. 2018. Feeling ‘like a minority…a pathology’: interpreting race from research with African and Caribbean women on violence and abuse. Qualitative Research. 19 (4), pp. 399-417. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794118777921
How do mental health services respond when child abuse or neglect become known? A literature review
Read, J., Harper, D., Tucker, I. and Kennedy, Angela 2018. How do mental health services respond when child abuse or neglect become known? A literature review. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 27 (6), pp. 1606-1617. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12498
Contending with the Minimum Data Set: Subjectivity, linearity and dividualising experiences in Improving Access to Psychological Therapy
Bendall, C. and McGrath, L. 2018. Contending with the Minimum Data Set: Subjectivity, linearity and dividualising experiences in Improving Access to Psychological Therapy. Health. 24 (1), pp. 94-109. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363459318785718
Life lines: Loss, loneliness and expanding meshworks with an urban Walk and Talk group
Muir, Jessica and McGrath, L. 2018. Life lines: Loss, loneliness and expanding meshworks with an urban Walk and Talk group. Health & Place. 53, pp. 164-172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2018.08.007
Deleuze, Simondon and the problem of psychological life
Tucker, I. 2018. Deleuze, Simondon and the problem of psychological life. Annual Review of Critical Psychology. 14, pp. 127-144.
Race, Culture and Gender: Black female experiences of violence and abuse
Kanyeredzi, A. 2018. Race, Culture and Gender: Black female experiences of violence and abuse. Palgrave Macmillan.
The Role of the Visual in Narratives of Violence: Co-creating Fissures
Kanyeredzi, A., Reavey, Paula and Brown, Steven D. 2014. The Role of the Visual in Narratives of Violence: Co-creating Fissures. in: Taylor, Y. (ed.) The Entrepreneurial University Palgrave Macmillan UK. pp. 161-182
From ‘no means no’ to ‘an enthusiastic yes’: Changing the Discourse on Sexual Consent Through Sex and Relationships Education
Coy, Maddy, Kelly, Liz, Vera-Gray, Fiona, Garner, Maria and Kanyeredzi, A. 2015. From ‘no means no’ to ‘an enthusiastic yes’: Changing the Discourse on Sexual Consent Through Sex and Relationships Education. in: Sundaram, V. and Sauntson, H. (ed.) Global Perspectives and Key Debates in Sex and Relationships Education: Addressing Issues of Gender, Sexuality, Plurality and Power Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 84-99
Sensing Bodies and Digitally Mediated Distress
Tucker, I. and Goodings, L. 2015. Sensing Bodies and Digitally Mediated Distress. The Senses and Society. 9 (1), pp. 55-71. https://doi.org/10.2752/174589314X13834112761047
Surveillance and subjectivity: Everyday experiences of surveillance practices
Harper, D., Tucker, I. and Ellis, D. 2013. Surveillance and subjectivity: Everyday experiences of surveillance practices. in: Ball, Kirstie and Snider, Laureen (ed.) The Surveillance-Industrial Complex: A Political Economy of Surveillance Routledge.
Transformations of self and sexuality: Psychologically modified experiences in the context of forensic mental health
Brown, Steven D, Reavey, Paula, Kanyeredzi, A. and Batty, Richard 2013. Transformations of self and sexuality: Psychologically modified experiences in the context of forensic mental health. Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine. 18 (3), pp. 240-260. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363459313497606
Digital atmospheres: affective practices of care in Elefriends
Tucker, I. and Goodings, L. 2017. Digital atmospheres: affective practices of care in Elefriends. Sociology of Health & Illness. 39 (4), pp. 629-642. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.12545
Do adult mental health services identify child abuse and neglect? A systematic review
Read, J., Harper, D., Tucker, I. and Kennedy, Angela 2017. Do adult mental health services identify child abuse and neglect? A systematic review. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 27 (1), pp. 7-19. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12369
The Psychological Impact of Austerity: A Briefing Paper
Mcgrath, L., Griffin, V., Mundy, E., Curno, T., Weerasinghe, D. and Zlotowitz, S. 2016. The Psychological Impact of Austerity: A Briefing Paper. Educational Psychology Research and Practice. 2 (2), p. 46–57. https://doi.org/10.15123/uel.885xw
Educational Psychology Research and Practice (EPRaP): Volume 2, Issue 2
Fox, M., Vingerhoets, H., Thorne, L., Howarth, I., Kelly, S., Alrai, S., Hussain, N., Crane, J., Mcgrath, L., Clark, I., Kelly, M., Wilson, J., Edmonds, C., Wagner, K., Gersch, I., Griffin, V., Mundy, E., Curno, T., Weerasinghe, D. and Zlotowitz, S. 2016. Educational Psychology Research and Practice (EPRaP): Volume 2, Issue 2. School of Psychology, University of East London. https://doi.org/10.15123/uel.885w0
Medicated bodies: Mental distress, social media and affect
Tucker, I. and Goodings, L. 2016. Medicated bodies: Mental distress, social media and affect. New Media & Society. 20 (2), pp. 549-563. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444816664347
Experiencing the ‘surveillance society’
Ellis, D., Harper, D. and Tucker, I. 2016. Experiencing the ‘surveillance society’. Psychologist. 29 (9), pp. 682-685.
The scenes and spaces of anxiety: Embodied expressions of distress in public and private fora
McGrath, L., Reavey, P. and Brown, Steven 2008. The scenes and spaces of anxiety: Embodied expressions of distress in public and private fora. Emotion, Space and Society. 1 (1), pp. 56-64.
Transportations of space, time and self: The role of therapeutic reading groups in managing mental distress in the community.
Shipman, Judith and McGrath, L. 2016. Transportations of space, time and self: The role of therapeutic reading groups in managing mental distress in the community. Journal of Mental Health. 25 (5), pp. 416-421. https://doi.org/10.3109/09638237.2015.1124403
"Zip me up, and cool me down”: Molar narratives and molecular intensities in ‘helicopter’ mental health services.
McGrath, L. and Reavey, P. 2016. "Zip me up, and cool me down”: Molar narratives and molecular intensities in ‘helicopter’ mental health services. Health & Place. 38, pp. 61-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2015.12.005
Mediation and digital intensities: Topology, psychology and social media
Tucker, I. and Goodings, L. 2014. Mediation and digital intensities: Topology, psychology and social media. Social Science Information. 53 (3), pp. 277-292. https://doi.org/10.1177/0539018414525693
Managing stress through the Stress Free app: Practices of self-care in digitally mediated spaces
Tucker, I. and Goodings, L. 2015. Managing stress through the Stress Free app: Practices of self-care in digitally mediated spaces. Digital Health. 1 (0).
Heterotopias of mental health care: The role of space in experiences of distress, madness and mental health service use.
McGrath, L. 2012. Heterotopias of mental health care: The role of space in experiences of distress, madness and mental health service use. PhD Thesis London South Bank University Psychology https://doi.org/10.15123/PUB.4397
Heterotopias of control: Placing the material in experiences of mental health service use and community living.
McGrath, L. and Reavey, P. 2013. Heterotopias of control: Placing the material in experiences of mental health service use and community living. Health & Place. 22, pp. 123-131.
Exploring embodied and located experience: Memory Work as a method for drug research.
Anderson, Katie and McGrath, L. 2014. Exploring embodied and located experience: Memory Work as a method for drug research. International Journal of Drug Policy. 25 (6), pp. 1135-1138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2014.08.008
Seeking fluid possibility and solid ground: Space and movement in mental health service users' experiences of 'crisis'.
McGrath, L. and Reavey, P. 2015. Seeking fluid possibility and solid ground: Space and movement in mental health service users' experiences of 'crisis'. Social Science & Medicine. 128, pp. 115-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.01.017
Examining professionals' perspectives on sexuality for service users of a forensic psychiatry unit
Dein, Kalpana Elizabeth, Williams, Paul Simon, Volkonskaia, Irina, Kanyeredzi, A., Reavey, Paula and Leavey, Gerard 2015. Examining professionals' perspectives on sexuality for service users of a forensic psychiatry unit. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry. 44, pp. 15-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlp.2015.08.027
Surveillance
Harper, D., Ellis, D. and Tucker, I. 2014. Surveillance. in: Teo T. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology Springer. pp. 1887-1892
Topology and mental distress: Self-care in the life spaces of home
Tucker, I. and Smith, L-A. 2014. Topology and mental distress: Self-care in the life spaces of home. Journal of Health Psychology. 19 (1), pp. 176-183. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105313500260
Social media and the co-production of bodies online: Bergson, Serres and Facebook's Timeline
Goodings, L. and Tucker, I. 2014. Social media and the co-production of bodies online: Bergson, Serres and Facebook's Timeline. Media, Culture & Society. 36 (1), pp. 37-51. https://doi.org/10.1177/0163443713507813
Embodying limb absence in the search for sexual intimacy
Batty, Richard, McGrath, L. and Reavey, P. 2014. Embodying limb absence in the search for sexual intimacy. Sexualities. 17 (5-6), pp. 686-706.
The Dynamics of Impersonal Trust and Distrust in Surveillance Systems
Ellis, D., Harper, D. and Tucker, I. 2013. The Dynamics of Impersonal Trust and Distrust in Surveillance Systems. Sociological Research Online. 18 (3), p. 8. https://doi.org/10.5153%2Fsro.3091
The Affective Atmospheres of Surveillance
Ellis, D., Tucker, I. and Harper, D. 2013. The Affective Atmospheres of Surveillance. Theory & Psychology. 23 (6), pp. 716-731. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0959354313496604
Transformative processes of agency: information technologies and the production of digitally mediated selves
Tucker, I., Ellis, D. and Harper, D. 2012. Transformative processes of agency: information technologies and the production of digitally mediated selves. Kultūra ir visuomenė: socialinių tyrimų žurnalas [Culture and Society: Journal of Social Research]. 3 (1), pp. 9-24.
Somatic concerns of mental health service users: a specific tale of affect
Tucker, I. 2011. Somatic concerns of mental health service users: a specific tale of affect. Distinktion: Scandinavian Journal of Social Theory. 12 (1), pp. 23-35.
Virtuality and Ernest Bloch: hope and subjectivity
Ellis, D. and Tucker, I. 2011. Virtuality and Ernest Bloch: hope and subjectivity. Subjectivity. 4 (4), pp. 434-450.
Everyday spaces of mental distress: the spatial habituation of home
Tucker, I. 2009. Everyday spaces of mental distress: the spatial habituation of home. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space. 28 (3), pp. 526-538.
"This is for life": a discursive analysis of the dilemmas of constructing diagnostic identities
Tucker, I. 2009. "This is for life": a discursive analysis of the dilemmas of constructing diagnostic identities. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research. 10 (3).
Mental health service user territories: Enacting 'safe spaces' in the community
Tucker, I. 2010. Mental health service user territories: Enacting 'safe spaces' in the community. Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine. 14 (4), pp. 434-448. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363459309357485