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Psychiatric Hospitalization and Resiliency: Experiences of Adults with Serious Mental Illness Upon Reentering their Communities

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2018, Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, Psychology/Clinical.
Psychiatric hospitalization can be viewed as a difficult life event that can cause disruptions in several life domains (Cohen, 1994). Individuals who experience a psychiatric hospitalization are at a greater risk for experiencing readmission to the hospital and social stigma that can interrupt their ability to function in daily life, and even suffer work-related setbacks (Loch, 2014). Much of the research characterizes resiliency as a set of traits possessed by an individual. Studies using such measures found that adults with serious mental illness [SMI] have lower resiliency scores than the general population. However, relatively little is known about specific aspects of resiliency that adults might rely upon in their adjustment to community life after psychiatric hospitalization. The present qualitative study examined first-person accounts of eleven adults coping with a serious mental illness who have experienced a psychiatric hospitalization in a 24-month period. The research examines components of resiliency that assist adults in community adjustment following a psychiatric hospitalization. Results identify themes among participant perceptions of system- and individual-driven helpful and unhelpful aspects of the hospitalization. Results also provide more details to the nuances in individual resiliency components (i.e., goal-setting, commitment, patience, humor, past accomplishments) and social components that help adults with serious mental illness bounce back from psychiatric hospitalizations. About half (n=6) of the sample identified bouncing back to the same level of life satisfaction whereas the remainder identified bounding back to a higher level of life satisfaction. These results contribute to a better understanding of resiliency components associated with better post-discharge community integration which will help mental healthcare workers better serve individuals reentering their community.
Catherine Stein, PhD (Advisor)
Dryw Dworsky, PhD (Committee Member)
Dale Klopfer, PhD (Committee Member)
68 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Dulek, E. (2018). Psychiatric Hospitalization and Resiliency: Experiences of Adults with Serious Mental Illness Upon Reentering their Communities [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1541508046445646

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Dulek, Erin. Psychiatric Hospitalization and Resiliency: Experiences of Adults with Serious Mental Illness Upon Reentering their Communities. 2018. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1541508046445646.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Dulek, Erin. "Psychiatric Hospitalization and Resiliency: Experiences of Adults with Serious Mental Illness Upon Reentering their Communities." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1541508046445646

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)