Mapping community: A scoping review of clubhouse members’ social networks and their impact on recovery in mental illness.

Abstract

Objective: Social support is an important component of recovery-based interventions for individuals living with severe mental illness (IWSMI). Clubhouses are local community centers that facilitate the development of meaningful relationships among IWSMI through an empowering structure and engagement with the work-ordered day. This review synthesizes research on social networks in Clubhouses to provide insights on the role of supportive relationships in mental illness recovery, including the size and features of social networks of Clubhouse members, methodological trends and gaps, and the associations between social networks and demographic variables, recovery, health, and perceived social support. Method: Research on social networks within Clubhouses were identified and analyzed following a systematic six-stage scoping review design. Results: Twelve articles across six studies were included. Results revealed considerable variation in social network interview methods and network size and features. Overall findings suggest that network size is not consistently associated with reported loneliness, social support, recovery, or quality of life. A deep relationship with at least one supportive person, level of perceived affiliation with Clubhouses, or positive comments from network members may be more or equally valuable than a larger network. Some studies found that types of relationships were associated with unique benefits. Stronger peer networks were associated with relationship satisfaction, while increased connections with health care professionals and family were associated with reduced hospitalizations. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: Future research should diversify research designs, expand the use of social network analysis and visualization, measure additional outcomes including recovery and health, and increase sample diversity. Impact and ImplicationsThis review highlights relationship characteristics and associations with recovery within Clubhouses, a unique community mental-health model. Findings support Clubhouses' role in facilitating the wellbeing of members through increasing social capital and fostering a context for recovery. Furthermore, findings suggest that deepening relationships or enhancing positive connection may be more or equally important than increasing the size of a social network, and individual characteristics within a network impact recovery outcomes.

Current insights of community mental healthcare for people with severe mental illness: A scoping review

“…Finally, one scoping review suggests that network size is not consistently associated with reported loneliness, social support, recovery, or quality of life. A deep relationship with at least one supportive person may be more or equally valuable than a larger network ( 78 ).…”

An Introduction to Health Literacy and Social Contexts with Recommendations for Health Professionals and Researchers

“…Like people with intellectual disabilities, individuals with serious mental illnesses (SMIs) are a uniquely vulnerable population who frequently report lower levels of health literacy than the general population [51,52], and they experience high incidence of chronic illness and early mortality [11]. They are also more likely to have compromised or limited social networks and experience social isolation [53,54]. Thus, this study examined the ways in which social network supports in psychosocial rehabilitation centers (called mental health Clubhouses [55,56] were associated with individual health literacy.…”

A multisite longitudinal evaluation of Canadian clubhouse members: Impact on hospitalizations and community functioning.

“…Numerous reviews suggest that the Clubhouse model reduces hospitalizations, promotes employment, and improves the quality of life for Clubhouse members (McKay et al, 2018). Further, reviews have noted the effectiveness of the model in social outcomes (Meyer et al, 2022; Yan et al, 2021). Despite the considerable evidence base, reviews have noted the need for further studies, particularly with a longitudinal design to assess Clubhouse member’s outcomes over time (Battin et al, 2016).…”