Abstract
Background
The social networks of people with mental illness have received much attention, but users of day care services have rarely been considered.
Methods
Users of day hospitals and day centres were surveyed cross-sectionally. Demographic and illness factors were tested for associations with network size, while intrinsic relationship factors were tested for association with confiding in a network member.
Results
There was some evidence that a longer duration of contact with services, more unmet needs, working, living in supported accommodation and needing help with psychotic symptoms were associated with having a larger network, while a longer duration of contact was associated with having more confidantes. Day centre users confided in people who were more likely to be friends or neighbours than professionals, and who were more likely to be the same sex.
Conclusion
For people in day care, the stereotype that people with longer-term mental health problems are socially isolated is contradicted by this study. The limited role of professionals in providing confiding relationships is striking.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Becker T, Thornicroft G, Leese M, McCrone P, Johnson S, Albert M, Turner D (1997) Social networks and service use among representative cases of psychosis in south London. Br J Psychiatry 171:15–19
Catty J, Goddard K, Burns T (2005) Social Services and Health Services Day Care in Mental Health: the social networks and care needs of their users. Int J Soc Psychiatry 51:23–34
Catty J, Goddard K, Burns T (in press) Social Services Day Care and Health Services Day Care in Mental Health: do they differ? Int J Soc Psychiatry (in press)
Cobb S (1976) Social Support as a Moderator of Life Stress. Psychosom Med 38(5):300–314
Dunn M, O’Driscoll C, Dayson D, Wills W, Leff J (1990) The TAPS Project. 4: An Observational Study of the Social Life of Long-Stay Patients. Br J Psychiatry 157:842–848
Hammer M (1963) Influence of Small Social Networks as Factors on Mental Hospital Admission. Human Organisation 22:243–251
Hirschberg W (1985) Social isolation among schizophrenic outpatients. Soc Psychiatry 20:171–178
Holmes-Eber P, Riger S (1990) Hospitalization and the composition of mental patients’ social networks. Schizophr Bull 16(1):157–644
Mueller DP (1980) Social networks: a promising direction for research on the relationship of the social environment to psychiatric disorder. Soc Sci Med 14A(2):147–161
Phelan M, Slade M, Thornicroft G, Dunn D, Holloway F, Wykes T, Strathdee G, Loftus L, McCrone P, Hayward P (1995) The Camberwell assessment of need (CAN): the validity and reliability of an instrument to measure the needs of people with severe mental illness. Br J Psychiatry 167:589–595
Strauss JS, Carpenter WT (1977) Prediction of Outcome in Schizophrenia. Arch Gen Psychiatry 34:159–163
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Catty, J., Goddard, K., White, S. et al. Social networks among users of mental health day care. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 40, 467–474 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-005-0909-y
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-005-0909-y