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Increasing Social Support for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness: Evaluating the Compeer Model of Intentional Friendship

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Abstract

We conducted a quasi-experimental study of Compeer, which matches community volunteers and people with SMI to increase social support. Seventy-five adults with SMI received community psychiatric treatments-usual (TAU) while 79 adults received Compeer services plus TAU. Compeer clients reported significant improvements in social support and a trend towards improved subjective well-being. After 6 months, social support increased >1 SD for 13%, increasing to 23% at 12 months, supporting qualitative research suggesting the “active ingredient” in intentional friendships often takes more than 1 year to develop. This subgroup of responders showed significant gains in subjective well-being and reductions in psychiatric symptoms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Albert & Jessie Danielsen Institute at Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

    Brian H. McCorkle

  2. Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston University, 940 Commonwealth Avenue, West Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    E. Sally Rogers & Asya Lyass

  3. Elementary and Secondary Education, Massachusetts Department of Education, 350 Main Street, Malden, MA, 02148, USA

    Yu Mui Wan

  4. Center for College Health and Safety, Education Development Center, Inc, Newton, MA, USA

    Erin C. Dunn

Authors
  1. Brian H. McCorkle
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  2. E. Sally Rogers
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  3. Erin C. Dunn
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  4. Asya Lyass
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  5. Yu Mui Wan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. Sally Rogers.

Additional information

At the time of data collection Dr. McCorkle, Erin C. Dunn and Dr. Won were at Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston University, 940 Commonwealth Avenue, West Boston, MA 02215, USA.

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McCorkle, B.H., Rogers, E.S., Dunn, E.C. et al. Increasing Social Support for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness: Evaluating the Compeer Model of Intentional Friendship. Community Ment Health J 44, 359–366 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-008-9137-8

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