OBJECTIVE Young adults with serious mental illness (SMI) are reported to be socially excluded, but social inclusion measures are untested in this population. The aim of this study was to… Click to show full abstract
OBJECTIVE Young adults with serious mental illness (SMI) are reported to be socially excluded, but social inclusion measures are untested in this population. The aim of this study was to test the Filia Social Inclusion Measure (F-SIM) in this population. METHOD Categorical principal components analysis of F-SIM data from N = 159 young adults with SMI aged 18-25 was conducted. Cronbach's alpha (α) examined internal consistency. Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC3,2) examined 2-week test-retest reliability. Spearman's rho correlation coefficients (rs) examined construct validity. RESULTS Cronbach's alpha was .94 for Dimension 1 (Interpersonal Connections), .87 for Dimension 2 (Vocational and Financial Security), and .82 for Dimension 3 (Healthy Independent Lifestyle). ICC3,2 coefficients ranged from .20-.99. Dimension 1 scores correlated with measures of social inclusion (rs = .69, p < .01), Quality of Life (QoL [rs = .63, p < .01]), hours of social/leisure activities last week (rs = .32, p < .01), loneliness (rs = -.76, p < .01), and psychological distress (rs = -.42, p < .01). Dimension 2 scores correlated with measures of social inclusion (rs = .27, p < .01) and hours working (rs = .67, p < .01) and studying last week (rs = .47, p < .01). Dimension 3 scores correlated with measures of social inclusion (rs = .25, p < .01), QoL (rs = .40, p < .01), psychological distress (rs = -.33, p < .01), and loneliness (rs = -.26, p < .01). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE The F-SIM demonstrated excellent reliability and validity among young adults aged 18-25 with SMI. This represents a preliminary step toward evidence-based assessment and intervention to help increase social inclusion for this vulnerable population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
               
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