Abstract:

In this research, we compare the housing qualities, social support, personal empowerment, and emotional well-being of 111 people with psychiatric disabilities across three different types of housing: group homes (GH), supportive apartments (SA), and board-and-care homes (BCH). Residents of GH and SA report more resident control, and fewer living companions, and are more likely to have their own rooms than people in BCH residences. Also, residents of GH and SA report higher levels of personal empowerment (independent skills and perceived control) but lower levels of emotional well-being (positive and negative affect) than people in BCH residences. Hierarchical regression analyses show that housing and social support measures are significant predictors of the measures of personal empowerment and emotional well-being, over and above type of housing and demographic variables. The results are discussed in terms of previous research and their implications for policy and practice in supportive housing for psychiatric consumer/survivors.