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Money and Mental Illness: A Study of the Relationship Between Poverty and Serious Psychological Problems

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Abstract

Several studies have indicated a co-occurrence between mental problems, a bad economy, and social isolation. Medical treatments focus on reducing the extent of psychiatric problems. Recent research, however, has highlighted the possible effects of social initiatives. The aim of this study was to examine the relation between severe mental illness, economic status, and social relations. Method: a financial contribution per month was granted to 100 individuals with severe mental illnesses for a 9-month period. Assessments of the subjects were made before the start of the intervention and after 7 months’ duration. A comparison group including treatment as usual only was followed using the same instruments. Significant improvements were found for depression and anxiety, social networks, and sense of self. No differences in functional level were found. Social initiatives may have treatment and other beneficial effects and should be integrated into working contextually with persons with severe mental illnesses.

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Acknowledgment

The study has been approved by The Regional Ethical Review Board in Lund, Sweden, national registration number H15 2012/518.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Blekinge Centre of Competence, Karlskrona, Sweden

    Ingemar Ljungqvist

  2. Department of Social Work, Stockholms University, Stockholm, Sweden

    Alain Topor

  3. Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Grimstad, Norway

    Alain Topor

  4. Blekinge County Hospital and Blekinge Centre of Competence, Karlskrona, Sweden

    Henrik Forssell

  5. Department of Psychology, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden

    Idor Svensson

  6. School of Medicine and Institution for Social and Policy Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

    Larry Davidson

Authors
  1. Ingemar Ljungqvist
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  2. Alain Topor
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  3. Henrik Forssell
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  4. Idor Svensson
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  5. Larry Davidson
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Correspondence to Ingemar Ljungqvist.

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Ljungqvist, I., Topor, A., Forssell, H. et al. Money and Mental Illness: A Study of the Relationship Between Poverty and Serious Psychological Problems. Community Ment Health J 52, 842–850 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-015-9950-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-015-9950-9

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