Social processes of participation in everyday life among persons with schizophrenia

Abstract

Schizophrenia has an impact on social functioning and participation in everyday life. However, there is limited research concerning what persons with schizophrenia actually do in their societal context and what characterize the social processes influencing participation. The aim of this study was to identify social processes of participation in performing activities of everyday life among persons with schizophrenia by looking at what characterizes the social processes that precede or aggravate participation. Repeated participant observation of four persons with schizophrenia, performing everyday activities, was conducted, followed by interviews. A narrative analysis was used to analyse the data. Three plots constitute the main result: (1) When I know that I am appreciated and not different from others I want to continue what I'm doing (2) When I trust the people around me and have the possibility to mean something to them I do meaningful things (3) When I know in advance what's going to happen I take part in discussions and mutual decision-making. The findings of this study can be used as a heuristic tool to structure the understanding of how different components co-operate in the social process of participation and can as such be applied when assisting persons with schizophrenia into participation in everyday life.