Community Integration of Persons with Mental Disorders Compared with the General Population

Min Hwa Lee and Mi Kyung Seo
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Min Hwa Lee: Department of Social Welfare, Mokpo National University, Muan 58554, Korea
Mi Kyung Seo: Department of Social Welfare, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-9

Abstract: Aims : Community integration is the catalyst for recovery that is provided by mental health services to persons with mental disorders. This study explores the impact of socio-demographic variables on the level of community integration in persons with mental disorders compared to the general population living in the same communities and the difference in community integration level between the two groups. Methods : A total of 224 persons with mental disorders (M age = 45.0, SD = 12.84, male 51.8%, female 48.2%) in communities and 247 individuals (M age = 44.6, SD = 11.41, male 50.6%, female 49.4%) of the general population in the same communities participated in the evaluation of levels of physical, psychological, and social integration. The effects of socio-demographic variables on the three types of community integration on both groups were evaluated using multiple regression analyses. Differences in the three types of community integration between the two groups were tested using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) by controlling for socio-demographic variables as covariates. Results : The effects of socio-demographic variables on the three types of community integration differed between the two groups. In addition, the two groups differed significantly in terms of social rather than physical or psychological integration when the level of community integration was compared while controlling socio-demographic variables. The results also show that persons with mental disorders had smaller social networks and fewer social contacts than the general population. Conclusions : Based on the findings, we recommended that service providers provide incentives for consumers to strengthen social relationships and social skills training in order to maintain relationships.

Keywords: physical integration; psychological integration; social integration; social network size; social contact frequency; community integration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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