Increasing social support for individuals with serious mental illness: evaluating the compeer model of intentional friendship.
We conducted a quasi-experimental study of Compeer, which matches community volunteers and people with SMI to increase social support. Seventy-five adults with SMI received community psychiatric treatments-usual (TAU) while 79 adults received Compeer services plus TAU. Compeer clients reported significant improvements in social support and a trend towards improved subjective well-being. After 6 months, social support increased >1 SD for 13%, increasing to 23% at 12 months, supporting qualitative research suggesting the "active ingredient" in intentional friendships often takes more than 1 year to develop. This subgroup of responders showed significant gains in subjective well-being and reductions in psychiatric symptoms.
McCorkle
Brian H
BH
The Albert & Jessie Danielsen Institute at Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Rogers
E Sally
ES
Dunn
Erin C
EC
Lyass
Asya
A
Wan
Yu Mui
YM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009518:New York; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult