A STUDY OF MENTAL HOSPITALIZATION WAS MADE IN A UNIVERSITY-AFFILIATED, ACTIVE-CARE STATE INSTITUTION CONCERNED MAINLY WITH SCHIZOPHRENICS. THE AUTHOR EXAMINED THE ROUTES PATIENTS FOLLOW THROUGH THE HOSPITAL IN RELATION TO THERAPY AND THE PATIENT'S RETURN TO OUTSIDE LIFE. HE OBSERVED THAT THE PATIENT'S SOCIAL POSITIONS ARE DEFINED IN LARGE PART BY STATE LAW, AND THAT NEWLY ADMITTED PATIENTS MAY OCCUPY A COURT POSITION, A JUDICIALLY COMMITTED POSITION, A TEMPORARY OBSERVATION STATUS, OR A VOLUNTARY ONE. THE AUTHOR PROPOSED THAT AN ORGANIZATION'S STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE RELATED TO THE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES CARRIED ON BY ITS MEMBERS. THE DYADIC PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP WAS EXAMINED IN TERMS OF THE OBJECT, OR ENTITY ACTED UPON, THE SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP INVOLVED, AND THE NORMS EXPECTED IN PERFORMANCE. THE TREATMENT PROCESS WAS SEEN AS A SERIES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES WHICH ARE INITIATED BY THE DOCTOR AND HIS PATIENT, AS WELL AS CHANGES IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THIS DYAD AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING. THE PATIENT'S SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP, DETERMINED IN PART BY THE NATURE OF THE POSITION HE OCCUPIES, WAS DESCRIBED AS BEING SOMEWHAT CONDUCIVE TO ESTABLISHING TRUST, AND TO HELPING THE PATIENT ESCAPE HIS POTENTIALLY STRESSFUL DAILY LIFE AND RETURN TO THE OUTSIDE LATER THROUGH THE RESOURCES OF THE THERAPIST. A NEED WAS SEEN FOR CONCEPTUALIZING BOTH THE ELEMENTS OF ACTIVITIES AND THE PROPERTIES OF SOCIAL POSITIONS IN THEIR OWN RIGHTS RATHER THAN AS MERELY SLOTS IN A SOCIAL SYSTEM. THE AUTHOR SUGGESTED THAT FURTHER PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE ORGANIZATIONAL PROPERTIES OF TREATMENT SETTINGS AS WELL AS TRADITIONAL PSYCHODYNAMIC FORMULATIONS. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (61ST, MIAMI BEACH, AUGUST 31, 1966). (TC)