EDITORIAL NOTE: This research merits more than one reading with particular attention to the technique described and studied consideration should be given to the psychological implications of Reducer-Augmenter in regard to planning patient activities on nursing units. This research suggests a technique which could provide a more scientific approach to planning therapeutic activities for patients. Psychiatric Nursing needs more specific methods and techniques to better establish the therapeutic activities to be provided. This could be one to be further researched by psychiatric nurses to determine its application to patient care planning at the ward level.