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Reliability and Validity of a Newly Developed Measure of Citizenship Among Persons with Mental Illnesses

Community Mental Health Journal volume 53, pages 367–374 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Following development of a 46-item of measure citizenship, a framework for supporting the full membership in society of persons with mental illness, this study tested the measure’s reliability and validity. 110 persons from a mental health center completed a questionnaire packet containing the citizenship measure and other measures to assess internal consistency and validity of the citizenship instrument. Correlation matrices were examined for associations between the citizenship instrument and other measures. Stepwise regression examines demographic factors, sense of community, and social capital as predictors of citizenship, recovery, and well-being. Analyses revealed that the measure is psychometrically sound. The measure captures subjective information about the degree to which individuals experience rights, sense of belonging, and other factors associated with community membership that have been previously difficult to assess. The measure establishes a platform for interventions to support the full participation in society of persons with mental illnesses.

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Acknowledgments

The funding was provided by State of Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Program for Recovery and Community Health (PRCH), Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Maria J. O’Connell, Ashley Clayton & Michael Rowe

Authors
  1. Maria J. O’Connell
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  2. Ashley Clayton
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  3. Michael Rowe
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Correspondence to Ashley Clayton.

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O’Connell, M.J., Clayton, A. & Rowe, M. Reliability and Validity of a Newly Developed Measure of Citizenship Among Persons with Mental Illnesses. Community Ment Health J 53, 367–374 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-016-0054-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-016-0054-y

Keywords

  • Citizenship
  • Social inclusion
  • Mental illness
  • Measure development
  • Measure validation