Elements of a Psychosocial Clubhouse Program Associated With a Satisfying Quality of Life

Among the chronic mentally ill patients who were members of the psychosocial rehabilitation program we studied, the perception of empowerment was associated with most but not all of the aspects of quality of life we measured. The lack of a relationship between a sense of empowerment and satisfaction with employment status and financial status may be due to members' limited objective control in these areas, compared with the other areas of life we examined. Inferences from the findings are limited by the cross-sectional nature of the data. Analyses over time arc needed to establish the causal direction of these relationships. Findings on work status, financial situation, social relations, and leisure-areas that can be directly affected by psychosocial rehabilitation programs— suggest that services that enhance these functions or substitute for them are related to greater satisfaction with the quality of life. The results also suggest that the perception of empowerment is related to satisfaction with a broad range of aspects of quality of life. Bachrach (8) has proposed that principles of model programs can be imported to other programs. If the importance of empowerment is supported by longitudinal studies, a strong case could be made for psychosocial rehabilitation programs to adopt approaches that increase empowerment. Furthering clients' empowerment involves an ideological stance and mode of interaction with clients that can provide a framework for a wide range of specific program content.