UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, Health Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2015 May;61(3):241-50. doi: 10.1177/0020764014540150. Epub 2014 Jul 7.
This randomised controlled trial examined if for people with enduring mental illness, being supported to socialise leads to improved social functioning, increased self-esteem and extended social networks; a reduction in social isolation, social, emotional and family loneliness and a reduction in illness symptoms, namely depression.
A prospective randomised controlled trial was undertaken from November 2007 to September 2011. Service users with a diagnosis of enduring mental illness (>18 years) were invited to participate. Participants were randomly allocated to intervention or control group conditions in a 1:1 ratio. Intervention group participants were matched with a volunteer partner, asked to engage in social/leisure activities for 2 hours weekly over a 9-month period, and received a €20 stipend monthly. Control group participants received a €20 monthly stipend and were asked to engage in a weekly social/leisure activity. Social functioning, the primary outcome, was measured using the Social Functioning Scale (SFS) at three time points (baseline, midpoint and endpoint).
In all, 107 people completed this study. There were no significant differences between control and intervention groups at the commencement of the intervention on demographic characteristics or the main outcome measures of interest. Overall social functioning positively changed throughout the three time points from a mean of 99·7 (standard deviation (SD) = 15.1) at baseline, to a mean of 106.0 (SD = 27.0) at the endpoint for the control group, and from a mean of 100·4 (SD = 15.0) at Time 1 for the intervention group, to a mean of 104.1 (SD = 23.4) at the endpoint for the intervention group.
The intervention showed no statistical differences between the control and intervention groups on primary or secondary outcome measures. The stipend and the stipend plus volunteer partner led to an increase in recreational social functioning; a decrease in levels of social loneliness, in depression and in the proportion living within a vulnerable social network.
本随机对照试验旨在探讨对于患有持续性精神疾病的人群，通过支持其社交活动，是否能改善社交功能、提高自尊、扩展社交网络；减少社交孤立、社交、情感和家庭孤独感，并减轻疾病症状，如抑郁。
本前瞻性随机对照试验于 2007 年 11 月至 2011 年 9 月进行。邀请被诊断为持续性精神疾病（>18 岁）的服务使用者参与。参与者以 1:1 的比例随机分配到干预组或对照组。干预组的参与者与志愿者伙伴配对，要求他们在 9 个月内每周进行 2 小时的社交/休闲活动，并每月获得 20 欧元的津贴。对照组的参与者每月获得 20 欧元的津贴，并被要求每周参加社交/休闲活动。社交功能是主要结局指标，使用社交功能量表（SFS）在三个时间点（基线、中点和终点）进行测量。
共有 107 人完成了这项研究。在干预开始时，对照组和干预组在人口统计学特征或主要观察指标上没有显著差异。从基线时的平均 99.7（标准差（SD）=15.1）到对照组的终点时的平均 106.0（SD=27.0），再到干预组的时间 1 时的平均 100.4（SD=15.0）到干预组的终点时的平均 104.1（SD=23.4），总体社交功能在三个时间点均呈正性变化。
干预组在主要或次要结局指标上与对照组无统计学差异。津贴和津贴加志愿者伙伴导致娱乐社交功能增加；社交孤独感、抑郁程度以及处于脆弱社交网络中的比例降低。
