The structure and quality of social network support among mental health consumers of clubhouse programs

This study explored the structure and quality of social network support among a group of adult consumers of community-based mental health programs known as clubhouses. The structure and quality of social network support was also examined by diagnosis, specifically between consumers living with and without schizophrenia. The study involved a sample of 221 consumers across 15 clubhouse programs. Social network nominations were collected using a semistructured social network interview strategy. Over 97% of the participants identified at least one source of support in their social network with an average of five nominations. Family members were identified as the most common source of support whereas fellow clubhouse members were least likely to be nominated. Clubhouse members with schizophrenia were less likely to identify family members and were more likely to rate their support networks as more important and engage in greater levels of contact than consumers with other diagnoses. The structure and quality of social network supports were not associated with level of social functioning, length of clubhouse membership or level of participation or other selected demographic variables typically associated with the size and quality of support. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.