title: Sense of Belonging and Hope in the Lives of Persons with Schizophrenia.
abstract: This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews to explore the meaning of sense of belonging and hope in the lived experiences of 20 persons with chronic schizophrenia-spectrum disorders receiving acute inpatient treatment. Experience of treatment was also explored. Sense of belonging and hope were both identified as valuable or even vital, yet the experiences of not belonging and/or feeling hopeless was more prevalent. Participants frequently felt like an outsider and experienced loneliness and isolation, suggesting a need for further exploration of the impact of sense of belonging and hope on recovery and even treatment adherence in persons with schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, TN; Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, Nashville, TN. Electronic address: jennifer.k.barut@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Barut
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics & Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University Schools of Medicine & Nursing, Nashville, TN.
authors.forename: Mary S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Dietrich
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, Nashville, TN.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Zanoni
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, TN.
authors.forename: Sheila H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ridner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D065026:Hope; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008132:Loneliness; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy*; D012934:Social Isolation