Investigating the relationship between neighborhood experiences and psychiatric distress for individuals with serious mental illness

The present study examined the relationships between how research participants experienced their neighborhood, their neighborhood social climate, and psychological well-being. Participants (n = 525) were residents of supported housing programs who used mental health services at one of 17 community mental health centers in South Carolina. Hierarchical regression and mediation analyses were employed to answer research questions. Results suggest that neighbor relations, perceptions of neighborhood safety, and neighborhood satisfaction were significantly associated with perceptions of neighborhood social climate; and neighborhood social climate accounted for a significant amount of the variance in psychiatric distress. Of particular interest, perceptions of neighborhood social climate fully mediated the relationship between the specific reported neighborhood experiences and psychiatric distress. These findings have implications for interventions and policy aimed at promoting integration of individuals with serious mental illness into community settings

Examining the psychological sense of community for individuals with serious mental illness residing in supported housing environments

The psychological sense of community is an important aspect of community life; yet, it remains largely unexamined among individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). Sense of community represents the strength of bonding among community members; and this social phenomenon likely impacts the process by which individuals with SMI integrate into community life. The current study examined sense of community (SOC) for individuals with SMI by assessing the relationships between neighborhood experiences, unique factors related to SMI (e.g., mental illness diagnosis), and sense of community in the neighborhood. Participants were 402 residents of supported housing programs who used mental health services in South Carolina. Hierarchical linear regression was utilized to determine which components of community life helped to explain variability in sense of community. In total, 214 participants reported that it is very important for them to feel a sense of community in their neighborhoods. Neighbor relations, neighborhood safety, neighborhood satisfaction, neighborhood tolerance for mental illness, and housing site type emerged as significant explanatory variables of sense of community. These findings have implications for interventions aimed at enhancing SOC and community integration for individuals with SMI

Alcohol and cigarette use and misuse among hurricane Katrina survivors: Psychosocial risk and protective factors

The present study examined survivors’ use and misuse of cigarettes and alcohol following Hurricane Katrina. We also examined several psychosocial factors that we expected would be associated with higher or lower rates of substance use following the Hurricane. Participants were 209 adult survivors of Hurricane Katrina interviewed in Columbia, SC or New Orleans, LA between October 31, 2005 and May 13, 2006. Results revealed that survivors were smoking cigarettes, consuming alcohol, and experiencing alcohol-related problems at a substantially higher rate than expected based on pre- Hurricane prevalence data. Results also suggested that certain psychosocial factors were associated with participants’ substance use and misuse following the Hurricane

Dinâmicas comunitárias em deslocados e não deslocados residentes em áreas de exclusão social em Barranquilla (Colômbia)

El sentido de comunidad, la participación y el empoderamiento permiten comprender el proceso de desplazamiento y reasentamiento en el contexto de recepción, así como las consecuencias derivadas de ambos fenómenos. Los objetivos de la investigación son a) evaluar los tres constructos mencionados, b) analizar la sinergia que existe entre estos y c) proponer estrategias para aumentar su capacidad de influencia en los procesos de toma de decisiones. Llevamos a cabo una investigación exploratoria y transversal con población desplazada (n=30) y no desplazada (n=32) en dos localidades de bajos ingresos en Barranquilla (Colombia). Existe retroalimentación positiva entre los procesos evaluados, aunque no se observan diferencias significativas entre el grupo de desplazados y el de no desplazados. La dimensión Pertenencia (sentido de comunidad) es la que mejor explica la varianza del empoderamiento y de la participación en ambos grupos. Presentamos iniciativas para reforzar el sentido de comunidad y facilitar el acceso a los recursos socio-comunitarios en población desplazada.The sense of community, participation and empowerment enable us to understand the process of displacement and resettlement in the context of reception, as well as the consequences of both phenomena. Our objectives are a) to assess the three constructs mentioned above, b) to analyze the synergy existing among them and c) to propose strategies for increasing their capacity to influence the decision-making processes. We carried out a cross-sectional exploratory study with displaced (n=30) and non-displaced (n=32) people in two low-income districts of Barranquilla (Colombia). There is positive feedback between the processes evaluated, although no significant differences are observed between the displaced and the non-displaced groups. The dimension of belonging (sense of community) is the one that best explains the variance of empowerment and participation in both groups. Finally, we present a set of initiatives to reinforce the sense of community and to facilitate access to the community’s social resources for the displaced population.O sentido de comunidade, a participação e o empoderamento permitem compreender o processo de deslocamento e reassentamento no contexto de recepção bem como as consequências derivadas de ambos os fenômenos. Os objetivos desta pesquisa são: a) avaliar os três construtos mencionados; b) analisar a sinergia que existe entre estes e c) propor estratégias para aumentar sua capacidade de influência nos processos de tomada de decisões. Realizamos uma pesquisa exploratória e transversal com população deslocada (n=30) e não deslocada (n=32) em duas localidades de baixa renda em Barranquilla (Colômbia). Existe retroalimentação positiva entre os processos avaliados, embora não se observem diferenças significativas entre o grupo de deslocados e o de não deslocados. A dimensão Pertencimento (sentido de comunidade) é a que melhor explica a variância do empoderamento e da participação em ambos os grupos. Apresentamos iniciativas para reforçar o sentido de comunidade e facilitar o acesso aos recursos sociocomunitários em população deslocada

Positive Selection for New Disease Mutations in the Human Germline: Evidence from the Heritable Cancer Syndrome Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2B

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B (MEN2B) is a highly aggressive thyroid cancer syndrome. Since almost all sporadic cases are caused by the same nucleotide substitution in the RET proto-oncogene, the calculated disease incidence is 100–200 times greater than would be expected based on the genome average mutation frequency. In order to determine whether this increased incidence is due to an elevated mutation rate at this position (true mutation hot spot) or a selective advantage conferred on mutated spermatogonial stem cells, we studied the spatial distribution of the mutation in 14 human testes. In donors aged 36–68, mutations were clustered with small regions of each testis having mutation frequencies several orders of magnitude greater than the rest of the testis. In donors aged 19–23 mutations were almost non-existent, demonstrating that clusters in middle-aged donors grew during adulthood. Computational analysis showed that germline selection is the only plausible explanation. Testes of men aged 75–80 were heterogeneous with some like middle-aged and others like younger testes. Incorporating data on age-dependent death of spermatogonial stem cells explains the results from all age groups. Germline selection also explains MEN2B's male mutation bias and paternal age effect. Our discovery focuses attention on MEN2B as a model for understanding the genetic and biochemical basis of germline selection. Since RET function in mouse spermatogonial stem cells has been extensively studied, we are able to suggest that the MEN2B mutation provides a selective advantage by altering the PI3K/AKT and SFK signaling pathways. Mutations that are preferred in the germline but reduce the fitness of offspring increase the population's mutational load. Our approach is useful for studying other disease mutations with similar characteristics and could uncover additional germline selection pathways or identify true mutation hot spots

A social ecological approach to investigating relationships between housing and adaptive functioning for persons with serious mental illness

This paper seeks to advance mental health— housing research regarding which factors of housing and neighborhood environments are critical for adaptive functioning, health, and recovery for persons with serious mental illness (SMI). Housing and neighborhood environments are particularly important for persons with SMI because of the prevalence of poor housing conditions among this population. Most mental health—housing research has been limited by a focus on problems in environments and functioning. The paper seeks to expand the mental health—housing research agenda to consider protective factors that promote community integration and adaptive functioning. We provide an account of how social ecology theory transformed a research program, from examining individual risk factors to investigating the functioning of persons in the contexts of their housing and neighborhood experiences. The resulting housing environment framework—physical aspects of housing and neighborhoods, social environment of neighborhoods, and interpersonal relationships tied to housing—allows for identification of opportunities for health promotion and facilitation of participation in community-based settings. This program of research draws upon several methods to understand the social experience of persons with SMI living in community settings—survey research, qualitative interviews, Geographic Information Systems, participatory research, and visual ethnography. In this paper, we present how social ecology theory was instrumental in the development of new housing environment measures, the selection of appropriate research methods, and framing research questions that are building a new empirical base of knowledge about promoting adaptive functioning, health, and recovery for persons with SMI living in community settings

Cultivating Identity: Meaning -Making in the Context of Residential Treatment Settings for Persons With Histories of Psychological Disorders

412 p.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1999.These setting differences appear to influence the process and the content of residents' meaning-making in terms of thematic content (e.g., differential importance of medication, of social roles, and of relationships for rehabilitation), how they view themselves and others, how they organize their narrative accounts, and their views of the future.U of I OnlyRestricted to the U of I community idenfinitely during batch ingest of legacy ETD

Development of a measure of sense of community for individuals with serious mental illness residing in community settings

The psychological sense of community is one of the most commonly investigated constructs in community psychology. Sense of community may be particularly important for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) because they often face societal barriers to participation in community living, including stigma and discrimination. To date, no published studies have investigated the psychometric qualities of sense of community measures among individuals with SMI. The current study tested a series of confirmatory factor analyses using the Brief Sense of Community Index (Long & Perkins, 2003) in a sample of 416 persons with SMI living in community settings to suggest a model of sense of community for individuals with SMI and other disabilities. The resulting scale, the Brief Sense of Community Index-Disability, demonstrated good model fit and construct validity. Implications are discussed for how this scale may be used in research investigating community integration and adaptive functioning in community settings

Community psychology : lingking individuals and communities, 3rd ed./ Bret Kloos (et al)

xxxviii, 568 hal.: ill, tab.; 24 cm

Community psychology : lingking individuals and communities, 3rd ed./ Bret Kloos (et al)

xxxviii, 568 hal.: ill, tab.; 24 cm