Social Network and Social Support at a Clubhouse Program
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Date
2014-05
Authors
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Publisher
The Ohio State University
Abstract
Recovery is an increasingly important concept in severe and persistent mental illness
(SPMI). In the context of SPMI, Clubhouses are self-help programs that foster recovery-oriented
attitudes of their members. To date, there is no study describing the manner in which Clubhouses
do this. Two possible mechanisms include member affiliation to the Clubhouse and a willingness
of members to offer emotional social support to other members. In this exploratory study,
researchers tested these mechanisms by administering a pencil-and-paper social network survey,
a Clubhouse affiliation scale, and the Maryland Assessment of Recovery in People with Severe
Mental Illness (MARS) to Clubhouse members (n=46). Preliminary results indicated that
member affiliation with the Clubhouse and the number of members’ positive comments directed
at other members predict scores on the MARS (t=2.888, p=0.00617; t=2.288, p=0.02738,
respectively) regardless of Clubhouse attendance, which did not predict MARS scores. While
this is an exploratory study, it supports the possibility that both member affiliation with the
Clubhouse and a willingness of members to offer emotional social support to other members
might contribute to recovery-oriented attitudes in people with SPMI.
Description
Keywords
social network, social support, Clubhouse, Fountain house, affiliation