Community Integration in the Early Phase of Housing Among Homeless Persons Diagnosed with Severe Mental Illness: Successes and Challenges

Yanos, Philip T.; Barrow, Susan M.; Tsemberis, Sam

doi:10.1023/b:comh.0000022733.12858.cb

Cited by 118 publications

(124 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…When residents perceive their neighborhoods to be unsafe, feelings of danger may overtake their daily lives, causing them to stay isolated in their homes and refuse to reach out to fellow residents (Zeldin and Topitzes 2002). This has deleterious effects on the psychological sense of community, and it appears to be particularly problematic and under-studied among individuals with serious mental illness (Yanos et al 2004;Wong and Solomon 2002). Newman (1994) found that, among individuals with SMI living in Baltimore, Maryland, and Cincinnati and Columbus, OH (80% rented apartments or homes and lived independently, whereas 20% lived rent-free with relatives or friends), concerns about being victimized by neighborhood crime appeared to overwhelm relatively positive reports about other neighborhood characteristics.…”

Section: Neighborhood Safetymentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the Psychological Sense of Community for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness Residing in Supported Housing Environments

Townley

Kloos

2010

Community Ment Health J

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The psychological sense of community is an important aspect of community life; yet, it remains largely unexamined among individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). Sense of community represents the strength of bonding among community members; and this social phenomenon likely impacts the process by which individuals with SMI integrate into community life. The current study examined sense of community (SOC) for individuals with SMI by assessing the relationships between neighborhood experiences, unique factors related to SMI (e.g., mental illness diagnosis), and sense of community in the neighborhood. Participants were 402 residents of supported housing programs who used mental health services in South Carolina. Hierarchical linear regression was utilized to determine which components of community life helped to explain variability in sense of community. In total, 214 participants reported that it is very important for them to feel a sense of community in their neighborhoods. Neighbor relations, neighborhood safety, neighborhood satisfaction, neighborhood tolerance for mental illness, and housing site type emerged as significant explanatory variables of sense of community. These findings have implications for interventions aimed at enhancing SOC and community integration for individuals with SMI.

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Section: Neighborhood Safetymentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the Psychological Sense of Community for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness Residing in Supported Housing Environments

Townley

Kloos

2010

Community Ment Health J

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“…The possibility that stigmatizing attitudes towards people with mental illness varies by neighborhood, and that variation in these attitudes can impact community integration (which Segal et al's [1980]; study implied) also needs to be explicitly examined. Some preliminary research has also suggested that the degree of "fit" between an individual with mental illness and the neighborhood where he or she finds housing, rather than any specific characteristics of the community per se, is the most important factor in determining community integration (Yanos, Barrow, and Tsemberis, 2004), but this hypothesis needs to be studied further.…”

Section: The Move Toward Scatter-site Independent Housingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond “Landscapes of Despair”: The need for new research on the urban environment, sprawl, and the community integration of persons with severe mental illness

Yanos

2007

Health & Place

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The purpose of this commentary is to discuss important trends in the housing of people with severe mental illness in the past 20 years that require the attention of mental health geographers and other experts on the effects of place on mental health. Issues that are worthy of consideration in new research include: assessing the impact of place effects on community integration, the impact of sprawl, and the emergence of the independent scatter-site housing model. Possible implications of these trends for the effects of place on people with severe mental illness are discussed.

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“…16,17,19 In addition to these outcomes, the Canadian multisite trial includes measures of community integration, recovery, and quality of life. Instruments for the larger study were chosen based on a consensus measurement framework and specific literature reviews for validated instruments.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive Interviewing Methods for Questionnaire Pre-Testing in Homeless Persons with Mental Disorders

et al. 2011

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In this study, cognitive interviewing methods were used to test targeted questionnaire items from a battery of quantitative instruments selected for a large multisite trial of supported housing interventions for homeless individuals with mental disorders. Most of the instruments had no published psychometrics in this population. Participants were 30 homeless adults with mental disorders (including substance use disorders) recruited from service agencies in Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Toronto, Canada. Six interviewers, trained in cognitive interviewing methods and using standard interview schedules, conducted the interviews. Questions and, in some cases, instructions, for testing were selected from existing instruments according to a priori criteria. Items on physical and mental health status, housing quality and living situation, substance use, health and justice system service use, and community integration were tested. The focus of testing was on relevance, comprehension, and recall, and on sensitivity/acceptability for this population. Findings were collated across items by site and conclusions validated by interviewers. There was both variation and similarity of responses for identified topics of interest. With respect to relevance, many items on the questionnaires were not applicable to homeless people. Comprehension varied considerably; thus, both checks on understanding and methods to assist In addition, there are five site coordinators (one for each city where the study is carried out) and numerous lead service and housing providers. CEA is lead for quantitative measurement and data collection at the national level; MLP and KSM are site research coordinators; SWH is lead investigator for the Toronto site; ACH was an undergraduate medical research student for the summer of 2009; and PNG is the national research lead. 36comprehension and recall are recommended, particularly for participants with acute symptoms of mental illness and those with cognitive impairment. The acceptability of items ranged widely across the sample, but findings were consistent with previous literature, which indicates that "how you ask" is as important as "what you ask." Cognitive interviewing methods worked well and elicited information crucial to effective measurement in this unique population. Pretesting study instruments, including standard instruments, for use in special populations such as homeless individuals with mental disorders is important for training interviewers and improving measurement, as well as interpreting findings.

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Community Integration in the Early Phase of Housing Among Homeless Persons Diagnosed with Severe Mental Illness: Successes and Challenges

Cited by 118 publications

References 13 publications

Examining the Psychological Sense of Community for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness Residing in Supported Housing Environments

Examining the Psychological Sense of Community for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness Residing in Supported Housing Environments

Beyond “Landscapes of Despair”: The need for new research on the urban environment, sprawl, and the community integration of persons with severe mental illness

Cognitive Interviewing Methods for Questionnaire Pre-Testing in Homeless Persons with Mental Disorders

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