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Housing and Home-Leaving Experiences of Young Adults with Psychotic Disorders: A Comparative Qualitative Study

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Abstract

Housing stability is a key component of rehabilitation for individuals with severe mental illnesses but remains a challenge for mental health service providers, particularly with young adults experiencing early mental health difficulties. The aim of this study is to explore perceptions of housing and home-leaving processes among young adults with emerging psychotic disorders and to compare it to the perceptions of young adults without psychotic disorders. A qualitative, grounded theory based, multiple case study was conducted among 52 adults aged 18–30 years old. Two core categories emerged in relation with perception of housing: choice/control over the residential environment, and housing opportunities over time. Difference between the groups include more coerced home-leaving for young adults with first-episode psychosis and low levels of choice, control and opportunities for a sub-group of participants living in group homes. The housing situation of young adults is analyzed and discussed from a systemic perspective.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank all participants and clinical team at the Pavillon Albert-Prévost. The first author is supported by PhD. grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (#200710CGD-188144-146281) and the Fonds de recherche en santé du Québec (#13941). The authors also recognize financial support from the Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. École de Réadaptation, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3J7, USA

    Laurence Roy, Jacqueline Rousseau & Pierre Fortier

  2. Centre de Recherche, Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, 4565, chemin Queen Mary, Montréal, QC, H3W 1W5, USA

    Laurence Roy & Jacqueline Rousseau

  3. Clinique des Jeunes Psychotiques, Pavillon Albert-Prévost, Hôpital Sacré-Cœur de Montréal, 6555, boul. Gouin Ouest, Montréal, QC, H4K 1B3, USA

    Laurence Roy, Pierre Fortier & Jean-Pierre Mottard

Authors
  1. Laurence Roy
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  2. Jacqueline Rousseau
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  3. Pierre Fortier
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  4. Jean-Pierre Mottard
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laurence Roy.

Appendix

Appendix

This is the interview guide used with the study participants (translated from French by the first author).

  1. 1.

    Could you talk to me about your home?

    1. a.

      Probe 1: Could you tell me more about the physical aspects of your home?

    2. b.

      Probe 2: Could you tell me more about the other persons who live in your home?

  2. 2.

    How does this home correspond to your needs?

  3. 3.

    Could you talk to me about the neighborhood?

  4. 4.

    How does this neighborhood correspond to your needs?

  5. 5.

    I’d like you to think about your work or study environment. Can you tell me how you travel from your home to your work or study environment and back? Probe: How do you feel about that?

  6. 6.

    Tell me about the other settings you go to. How do you travel from your home to these other settings? Probe: How do you feel about that?

  7. 7.

    How long have you been staying in this home?

    1. a.

      What made you move to this home?

    2. b.

      Do you plan on moving out of this home? Why?

  8. 8.

    What are the activities you usually do inside or around your home? How do you feel about these activities and the way you do them?

  9. 9.

    What would you change about your home?

  10. 10.

    You mentioned (members of the household) earlier in the interview.

    1. a.

      For each of these persons, what would you say is your role towards them?

    2. b.

      What do you expect of the other persons in the home?

    3. c.

      What do you think they expect of you?

    4. d.

      How would you describe your relationship with these persons?

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Roy, L., Rousseau, J., Fortier, P. et al. Housing and Home-Leaving Experiences of Young Adults with Psychotic Disorders: A Comparative Qualitative Study. Community Ment Health J 49, 515–527 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-012-9531-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-012-9531-0

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