Relationships Between World Health OrganizationInternational Classification of Functioning, Disability and HealthConstructs and Participation in Adults With Severe Mental Illness

Abstract

Purpose:To examine the World Health OrganizationInternational Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health(ICF) constructs as correlates of community participation of people with severe mental illnesses (SMI).Methods:Quantitative descriptive research design using multiple regression and correlational techniques was used to analyze 193 persons with SMI.Results:This study examined the unique relationships between each of the ICF constructs and participation in a series of simultaneous regression analyses. Age, schizophrenia/schizoaffective diagnosis, insight, self-care activity, social competency, and social support from friends were significant predictors of participation when compared to variables in the same ICF constructs. In addition, these significant ICF predictors of participation were entered in a hierarchical regression, and only insight, social competency, and social support from friends were found to be significant predictors of participation after controlling for the effect of other ICF variables.Conclusion:In this ICF model, insight, social competency, and social support from friends were found to be associated with participation and mediated the individual contributions of types of psychiatric disabilities and self-care activity to participation. Rehabilitation practitioners should focus on interventions that increase these factors for people with SMI. Rehabilitation researchers should continue to use the ICF as a model from which to predict participation in specific life activities (e.g., employment) for people with SMI. Continued application and validation of the ICF model could positively impact recovery-oriented outcomes for individuals with SMI.