Social network among people with persistent mental illness: associations with sociodemographic, clinical and health-related factors

BACKGROUND: Social interaction is crucial for whether a person will successfully accomplish important life tasks. AIM AND METHOD: This study investigated the importance of sociodemographic, clinical and self-perceived health-related factors for social interaction among 103 individuals with persistent mental illness, mainly psychoses, visiting an outpatient unit. RESULTS: Bivariate analyses pointed to several relationships, especially between the health-related variables and both quantitative and qualitative aspects of the social network. In multivariate analyses, higher levels of quality of life, self-esteem, being a cohabitant, and living in a house were related to higher ratings on different aspects of the social network. Older age was associated with fewer close relationships but more adequate social integration. CONCLUSIONS: The social network appeared to be a function of both self-perceptions and sociodemographic influences. The influence is probably dynamic and, for example, just as a better quality of life may lead to more social interaction, a more developed social network probably promotes better quality of life. Therefore, interventions in mental health care that target social interaction constitute a powerful resource and should be part of the support for people with severe and persistent mental illness.