Conceptualizing Community: The Experience of Mental Health Consumers

Abstract

In this article we describe a focus group study of the perspectives of diverse groups of mental health consumers on the concept of community. We identify the core domains that constitute the notion of community, and commonalities and differences in the perception of community along the lines of ethnicity and sexual orientation/gender identity. Seven focus groups were conducted with a total of 62 participants. Transcripts were analyzed using the grounded theory approach.Two domains-togetherness and community acceptance-emerged as common to four types of communities that were most frequently mentioned in the focus group discussion. Our findings show that identities other than those associated with mental illness and the role of service user are critical to the understanding of the psychological sense of community among persons with psychiatric disabilities. We suggest that mental health providers empower consumers to expand their "personal communities" beyond that of mental health clients using their diverse identities, and design interventions for addressing the stigma emanating from identities that are discriminated against by the wider society.

“Right here is an oasis”: How “recovery communities” contribute to recovery for people with serious mental illnesses.

“…The strong internal social environment may hinder some residents' ability to integrate into a broad range of communities that may or may not be connected to mental health service use (Whitley, 2011) and to be accepted by others regardless of mental health status (Wong, Sands, & Solomon, 2010). In a similar vein are possible critiques of RCs as constituting disability "enclave" communities' that may pose a barrier to community integration (Torrey, 1993).…”

Adolescent adherence to psychosocial treatment: Mental health clinicians' perspectives on barriers and promoters

“…Grounded theory is a well established qualitative research method that has been effectively used in focus group investigations (Abrams, Dornig, & Curran, 2009;Wisdom, Clarke, & Green, 2006;Wong, Sands, & Solomon, 2010) and in eliciting experiential data from clinicians (Braun & Clarke, 2006;Bryman, 2004). Grounded theory allows clinicians to openly describe and examine their experiences and perceptions with adolescent adherence.…”

The Role of Brothels in Reducing HIV Risk in Sonagachi, India

“…Wong, Sands, and Solomon (2010) noted that community identity springs from shared experiences of stigma and discrimination. Shedding light on this process, a sex worker traced the pathway to empowerment by stating, Yes, we help each other in the brothel.…”