Sense of community in clubhouse programs: member and staff concepts.
Psychological sense of community within psychosocial rehabilitation clubhouse programs was examined using concept mapping with 18 members and 18 staff from 10 programs. Members identified four concepts: Recovery, social connections, membership, and tasks and roles. Members described hope and healing as aspects of recovery. Members' views on sense of community focused on the rehabilitation and social nature of the program. Staff also identified four concepts: Affiliation and support for members, shared experiences, clubhouse organization, and task and roles. The staff concept of clubhouse organization, which incorporated the ideas of leadership and organization of physical space and the concept of task and roles, was based on ideas of shared responsibility and clubhouse procedures. Staffs' views on sense of community strongly reflected their formal training in clubhouse principles. The relation of these concepts to McMillan and Chavis' theoretical framework for sense of community is discussed and recommendations for practice provided.
Herman
Sandra E
SE
Michigan Department of Community Health, Services Research Unit, Lansing, Michigan 48913, USA.
Onaga
Esther
E
Pernice-Duca
Francesca
F
Oh
Sumin
S
Ferguson
Catherine
C
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003210:Concept Formation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008605:Mental Health Services; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012928:Social Desirability; D012944:Social Support