The effects of social support on psychiatric patients.

Abstract

This study examined how a socially supportive Compeer relationship contributed to sustained, community based living and its impact on psychiatric hospitalization rate and length of stay. Participants were psychiatric patients divided into two groups consisting of patients who had been involved in a supportive Compeer relationship and patients who had not. A therapeutic Compeer relationship was defined as an ongoing Compeer match lasting for a minimum of one year. Results of two.! tests indicated no significant difference in regard to number of incidents of psychiatric hospitalization and the total number of days spent in the hospital for mental health patients who do or do not have a supportive Compeer friendship. A correlation for the data revealed that number of admissions and length of stay were significantly related. Additional research was suggested to investigate other variables such as previous hospitalizations, managed health care, attendant care, and intensive case management as they pertain to psychiatric hospitalization. Also, further research should focus on the practical aspects of a Compeer relationship investigating perceived quality of life and social support for psychiatric patients.