Experiences Of Social Inclusion Research Articles

Evaluating the efficacy of a school-based Finnish Gutsy Go programme in enhancing adolescents’ positive mental health, experience of social inclusion, and social competence

Background: The Finnish Gutsy Go programme is a positive youth development intervention designed to enhance adolescents’ psychosocial well-being by enabling eighth-grade students to develop and execute good deeds within the community. Objective: This study aimed to explore the effect of the Gutsy Go programme on adolescents’ positive mental health, experience of social inclusion, and social competence using a quasi-experimental study design. Methods: Data were collected with electronic questionnaires at baseline (n = 236 programme participants and n = 303 controls) and follow-up two weeks after the programme (n = 126, 54.2% programme participants and n = 103, 34.1% controls). Analyses included paired samples t-tests and mixed ANOVA analyses. Results: A statistically significant intragroup change across time was detected in the level of cooperation skills among programme participants (t(127) = −2.460, p = 0.015) but not among controls (t(102) = 1.088, p = 0.279). Statistically significant main effects were found for the intervention group on the experience of social inclusion (F(1, 1) = 9.34, p = 0.003, η p 2 = 0.040), cooperation skills (F(1,1) = 5.28, p = 0.020, η p 2 = 0.020), and empathy (F(1,1) = 6.44, p = 0.010, η p 2 = 0.030) across time. Conclusion: The Gutsy Go programme could be beneficial in improving adolescents’ experience of social inclusion, cooperation skills, and empathy. More studies are needed to address the effects of the programme more firmly.

Realistic evaluation of social inclusion

This study introduces a mixed-method model for the realistic evaluation of programmes promoting the experience of social inclusion of people in disadvantaged positions. It combines qualitative and quantitative methods for exploring the context-mechanism-outcome- configurations of four cases consisting of development projects. Qualitative analyses depict the context-mechanism-outcome-configurations using participants’ interviews and small success stories as data. Quantitative analyses of a longitudinal survey including the Experiences of Social Inclusion Scale examine the context-mechanism-outcome-configurations in a larger group of participants and re-test the qualitative findings. Thus, they help to overcome the positive selection bias of the small success stories. The mixed-method approach is fruitful especially because the qualitative and the quantitative analyses amend each other’s shortcomings. In the promotion of social inclusion, it is important to help people to see themselves as active agents and allow them to connect to larger social domains.

The ambiguities of social inclusion in mental health: learning from lived experience of serious mental illness in Ghana and the occupied Palestinian territory

PurposeSocial inclusion of people living with serious mental illness is widely promoted. However, only limited consideration has been given to the meanings of social inclusion within different settings and the ways in which it is envisioned, negotiated, and practised. In this paper, we explore meanings and practises of social inclusion from the perspectives of people living with serious mental illness and their families in Ghana and Palestine and how this is shaped by differing political and socio-cultural contexts.MethodsThis paper draws on comparative ethnographic research including participant observation and interviews with people living with mental illness and family members in Ghana and the occupied Palestinian territory. Data were triangulated and analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsParticipants described experiences of social inclusion and participation within communities, home and family life, friendships and social life, and work and livelihoods. This revealed how such experiences were variously shaped by differing political contexts and socio-cultural norms and expectations within the two settings. These in turn intersected with aspects such as gender roles, age, and socio-economic status. Aspirations for inclusion included greater awareness and understanding within society, accompanied by opportunities and support for meaningful inclusion at the political as well as community level.ConclusionFindings point to the value of a contextual understanding of social inclusion, taking account of the impact of the wider socio-cultural, political, and economic environment. They also point to the need for an intersectoral approach, beyond communities and mental health services, to provide meaningful opportunities and support for social inclusion.

Finnish care leavers‘ social inclusion during the transition to adulthood

Young people receiving aftercare services, hereinafter referred to as care leavers, are dependent on supportive and caring relationships with their family, friends, and other support networks when transitioning to independent life. According to previous research, care leavers often have low resilience, which impairs their ability to cope with challenges and leads to problems related to housing, studying, mental health, substance abuse, and somatic morbidity; these issues can impair social inclusion and increase vulnerability.The aim of this qualitative study was to describe care leavers’ experiences of social inclusion (N = 16). The participants were between 18 and 20 years of age, with twelve being women and four being men. Most of the participants had been in child welfare institutions and some in foster care. They had left out-of-home care between one and three years before the study. Data were collected during 2016 in Finland using thematic interviews, and subsequently analysed by qualitative content analysis. The care leavers described their experiences of social inclusion by discussing interpersonal relationships formed during childhood, in foster care, and later in life. Their descriptions emphasised the significance of trauma and growth and development, the ability to mend interpersonal relationships and avoid intergenerational trauma transmission, as well as the value of corrective relationships. The care leavers felt that daily activities promoted social inclusion and improved health and well-being.This research is important as it gives to care leavers a voice on their social inclusion. The results provide new insight into a vulnerable, marginally researched group with high support needs and a propensity for social exclusion. The results can be utilised to develop aftercare services that focus on strengthening care leavers’ resilience related to social inclusion, personal resources, and the ability to gather corrective experiences.

The Subjective Experiences of Social Inclusion of People with Mental Disabilities: The Perspective of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Service Users

本研究從精神障礙者（以下簡稱精障者）的個人經驗與主體立場出發， 探討精障者個人日常生活遭遇的各項社會融合經驗，及其對於社區精神 復健服務的主觀評價，並藉此描述精障者的主體性如何受到精神復健機 構的形塑。透過深度訪談八位使用社區精神復健服務的精障者，本研究 歸納發現：（一）精障者對社會融合的想法乃是回歸社區自立生活，並 期待透過工作所得賺取獨立生活費用，精障者願意為生活增添其他可能 性而努力，也藉由信仰產生自然的人際交流；（二）精障者的主體性源 自於對生活步調的掌控、對生活安排的自主權，並獲得他人的尊重與平 等對待；反之，當精障者被迫接受機構的權威管理與過度生活規範，其主體性將受到傷害；（三）對精障者而言，機構安排豐富多元的日常活 動與工作訓練，以及提供社會融合的橋樑等，都是符合其需求的精神復 健服務，而長期留置復健機構從事一成不變且低薪的勞力工作，則是精 障者最期待有所改善的服務層面。基於上述研究發現，本研究最後提出 相關政策與服務建議。Research purpose Empirical studies on the social inclusion of people with mental disabilities in Taiwan are limited. This study aims to fill this gap. As social inclusion emphasizes the subjective feelings, willingness, and motivation levels of people with mental disabilities, this study explores the issue of social inclusion faced by people with mental disabilities from their individual perspectives and experiences. It also examines how psychiatric rehabilitation services shape the subjectivity of people with mental disabilities, reviewing the pros and cons of psychiatric rehabilitation services in fulfilling the needs of service users. There are three research questions to be answered in this study. First, what are the viewpoints and subjective experiences regarding social inclusion of people with mental disabilities? Second, how is the subjectivity of people with mental disabilities shaped by psychiatric rehabilitation services? Third, what services meet these needs, and what improvements in services need to be made for people with mental disabilities in psychiatric rehabilitation institutions? Method This study follows a qualitative research approach to delineate the social inclusion of people with mental disabilities in Taiwan. Since psychiatric rehabilitation institutions are set up to help people with mental disabilities recover, the research participants in this study were people with mental disabilities in these institutions. Considering the various degrees of autonomy and opportunities for social interaction among people with mental disabilities, the interviewees recruited in this study included residents of halfway houses, members of community rehabilitation centers, clubhouse members, and residents of community houses. Ethical approval was obtained before conducting the research interviews in 2022. Six participants recorded face-to-face semi-structured qualitative interviews and two participated in online interviews because of the pandemic breakout. In total, eight interviews were conducted. After transcribing the interview recordings, thematic analysis was used to analyze the interview transcripts, and thematic findings were derived in accordance with the repetitive analytical procedures of “whole-part-whole.”Results The findings are summarized as follows. People with mental disabilities think social inclusion is to live independently in the community. They hope to work and earn a living, and strive for other possibilities. They may also engage in interpersonal interactions through religious affiliations. In addition, rights of choice and autonomy, equal interaction and treatment, and respect for individual needs in psychiatric rehabilitation units are supportive factors of the subjectivity of people with mental disabilities. However, some adverse conditions such as class differences, inappropriate authoritarian management, and incomplete autonomy jeopardize the subjectivity of people with mental disabilities. Rehabilitation services that meet the needs of people with mental disabilities include various daily activities, multiple job training programs, and bridges for social inclusion. In contrast, rehabilitation services that need to be improved are mainly concerned with low wages, a limited variety of job opportunities, and reverse service effects. Conclusion Based on the research findings, some implications for government policy reform and service improvement in community mental health and social care are proposed. First, it emphasizes the subjectivity of people with mental disabilities. Training courses for rehabilitation institutions’ staff should emphasize the subjectivity of people with mental disabilities, help them achieve social inclusion and avoid the negative effects of institutionalization. Meanwhile, staff in rehabilitation institutions should return the choice and autonomy to people with mental disabilities and play the role of assistants with the belief that people with mental disabilities can be experts on their own lives. Second, they should provide employment opportunities for people with mental disabilities. Owing to the stigma of mental illness, poor educational backgrounds, aging problems, and other physical illnesses, people with mental disabilities are susceptible to social exclusion. Consequently, it is necessary to ensure that people with mental disabilities acquire various employment opportunities and job redesigning in response to functional impairment. To increase employment opportunities and income for people with mental disabilities, government sectors should work with rehabilitation institutions to expand employment resources, subsidize social enterprises, and establish shelter shops. Third, community support resources should be increased for individuals with mental disabilities. In the opinion of people with mental disabilities, financial problems are the most challenging for independent living. If government subsidies or residential services such as community houses are offered to people with mental disabilities to maintain a minimum quality of life, more people can return to community life. Additionally, people with mental disabilities require supportive community services to help them adjust to independent living and organize their daily lives. It is believed that by providing the abovementioned services, not only can the independent living and social inclusion advocated by the CRPD be fulfilled, but family caregivers’ stress and burden can also be reduced.

Negotiated belonging in sub-state nationalist contexts: young adult migrant narratives in Scotland and South Tyrol

This contribution investigates the intersection between macro-level political narratives on diversity and micro-level lived experience of social inclusion and everyday interaction. The case studies for analysis comprise of two regional sub-state nationalist contexts, Scotland and South Tyrol, Italy. Scotland is a nation state that defines itself vis-a-vis the rest of the UK and where a discourse has emerged that Scottish nationalism is both civic and inclusive. South Tyrol is an autonomous province in northern Italy which remains a liminal space between Austria and Italy and is presented as a model to protect minorities. We argue for developing a critical stance on diversity narratives identified in these two-regions. Based on in-depth narrative interviews with young adult migrants, we use an ontological security framework to examine the relationship between macro-narratives and micro-level lived experiences of everyday social interactions. Firstly, we address how macro-level national identity discourses manifest themselves in micro-level everyday interactions. Secondly, we look at how young adults interpret these narratives when retelling their everyday experiences, sometimes to the point of excluding their own experiences of discrimination. In this way, we trace the negotiation of belongingness in these two contexts.

Digital borders in spatial-temporal mobility: Social inclusion and exclusion of Chinese migrant students in Macao

While mobile social media has increasingly become embedded in migrants’ daily lives, how mobile social media affects migrants’ cross-border experiences remains under-researched. Based on a 2-year ethnographic study, this article demonstrates a more complex relationship among mobile social media, migrants’ spatial-temporal mobility, and their subjective experience of social inclusion and exclusion. Situated in a Chinese cross-border context (Macao Special Administrative Region), this article elaborates on how mobile social media leads to heterogeneous and synchronous spatial-temporal mobility in a homogeneous time-narrative. This article further explains how and why mainland students’ social exclusion transforms into digital inclusion, where the blurring boundaries create the possibility of digital and social inclusion but also risk deeper exclusion and internal borders. The article argues for a new epistemology of the border, which is complicated, heterogeneous, and paradoxical, while mobile social media reinvigorates the border concept in how it constructs and deconstructs territorial/internal boundaries and inclusion/exclusion dynamics.

Bonding Through Language Imitation: Influence of Social Ostracism on Structural Priming

This research investigated whether being excluded can increase language imitation and thus lead to a stronger structural priming effect. In Study 1, student participants recalling an experience of social exclusion showed a larger priming effect than those recalling an experience of social inclusion. Employing a larger, more diverse sample, Study 2 set out to conceptually replicate Study 1 by creating a concurrent experience of social exclusion through a computerized ball-toss game. It was found that excluded individuals demonstrated a stronger tendency to mimic the syntactic structure used by their interactional partner than included individuals. Taken together, these findings enrich an emergent stream of research that finds structural priming is not an independent cognitive process, but conditioned by various socio-cognitive factors.

Transition to emerging adulthood during the COVID-19 pandemic: Changes in anxiety and the role of inclusion/exclusion experiences

ABSTRACT The study investigated a developmentally sensitive group, emerging adults going through a critical post-secondary educational transition in tandem with the first wave of the COVID pandemic in Finland. The participants (n = 330) were surveyed initially during their first year in secondary education, and again during the pandemic, right after their graduation in summer 2020. According to latent change score models, there was a small mean level increase in anxiety but interestingly, the increase was stronger among individuals with fewer prior anxiety symptoms and fewer prior experiences of loneliness. However, during-pandemic experiences of social inclusion and living with parents were protective against an increase in anxiety symptoms. Findings from this longitudinal study add to the understanding of the complexity of the COVID impact on mental health and the intertwined dynamics of social relations and mental well-being among emerging adults.

Factors to Consider in Syrian Refugee Families' Journeys to Social Inclusion: A Literature Review

This paper offers a review of the research literature on the experiences of young children and their families who left Syria as refugees and resettled in Canada. We identify five key factors that influence Syrian refugees’ experience of social inclusion within the context of the public-school systems as well as unveil the silences in and across the current studies. The five factors are pre-arrival experiences, mental health, social supports, acquisition of English language skills, and lack of preparedness of teachers and schools. Based on limited availability of research, we outline needed research to better understand social inclusion of Syrian refugee families with young children in Canada. There is a call to pay particular attention to their educational and social encounters.

‘Life is team play’: social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in the context of Special Olympics

This article provides insights from an empirical study on the meaning of social inclusion for Finnish athletes with intellectual disabilities (ID) who participate in Special Olympics (SO). A further objective was to explore the athletes’ perceptions of the role SO has played in their lives regarding their personal experiences of social inclusion. Data were transcripts of five focus group interviews carried out with a total of 31 participants during the last SO World Winter Games in 2017. The content was analysed with the aim of identifying the main themes in the athletes’ conversations about social inclusion. Three main themes were identified: inclusion as a contrast to past discrimination; inclusion as receiving and providing assistance; and inclusion as participation in teamwork. The results indicate that SO and arguably sport more generally can assist people with ID in moving forward on a path from being excluded toward social inclusion.

Migration and Aging in the Right Place: Older Puerto Rican Adults’ Narratives

This research examines meanings of aging in the “right” place (Golant, 2015) among older adults who have grown up and grown older in migratory contexts. This qualitative research is based on semi-structured and life history interviews with 30 low socio-economic status Puerto Rican adults over the age of 60 who reside in Cuyahoga County, Ohio and have engaged in Puerto Rico-US migration throughout the life course. Inductive thematic analysis of interviews revealed fraught, multi-scalar narratives of aging in the “right” place. At the level of residence type, older adults’ narratives exhibited a tension between interdependence and independence. That is to say, they struggled to reconcile cultural preferences for family-based living arrangements with fears of becoming a burden. At the level of nation, a similar tension manifested. Older adults reported navigating differential citizenship rights, access to healthcare and social services, natural disasters, and experiences of social inclusion and exclusion via migration between Puerto Rico and the US mainland. Thus, aging in the “right” place was complex, if not altogether elusive, as inequitable circumstances obliged older adults to make tradeoffs regardless of where they lived. These findings extend scholarship on aging in the “right” place, which has focused on residence type, by considering how older adults negotiate aging within and across households, communities, and nations. Moreover, these findings highlight how challenging aging in the “right” place can be for migrating and disadvantaged populations.

Intergenerational Friendship as a Conduit for Social Inclusion? Insights from the “Book‐Ends”

Friendship is said to promote psychological and physical well‐being and increase social inclusion. Yet, intergenerational friendship has garnered little research attention due to the assumed dominance of age homophily in friendship. In this article we explore intergenerational friendship from the perspective of “younger” and “older” friends at the “generational book‐ends” of the life course. We focus on the role that intergenerational friendship plays in processes of social inclusion in the everyday lives of the participants, bringing together a study conducted in Finland and one in Ireland. Both studies employ qualitative methodology, drawing from interviews with 31 young people who were refugees (aged 13–18) in Finland and 23 older people (aged 65+) in Ireland. Our findings reveal that the younger and the older participants concur on the qualities and benefits of intergenerational friendship. Additionally, while age is not a uniform definer of friendships, differences in chronological age are not meaningless but support caring, enjoyment, and inclusion in alternative ways compared to peer‐aged friendships. Access to diverse company, distinct support, broader networks, and alternative identities lead to increased experiences of social inclusion at a personal and societal level. We conclude by calling on policy makers and communities to create spaces and opportunities for inclusion through friendship for all generations.

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Experiences of Social Inclusion Scale

ABSTRACT In recent years, a growing body of literature on social inclusion on an individual level has emerged. Yet, there is no common understanding of the concept itself and how to measure it. The objective of this study was to document the development of the Experiences of Social Inclusion Scale (ESIS), including the theoretical framework used for this purpose, which draws strongly on the capability approach. The ESIS is a brief closed survey instrument to assess self-reported experiences of social inclusion, and the aim was to evaluate its psychometric properties. The sample used for this consisted of 847 adults aged 18–87 years from all over Finland, most of them affected by or at immediate risk of social exclusion. The results indicated good internal reliability and consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.89). Furthermore, factor analyses suggested a one-dimensional factor structure for the ten items of the ESIS. The mean score on the ESIS was not statistically significantly different between male and female respondents, whereas a weak positive association with age and statistically significant differences for experiences of poverty were found. Analyses for convergent validity showed that the ESIS was statistically significantly associated with instruments measuring related concepts. All correlations were in the expected direction and rather substantial in magnitude but did not indicate that the same construct was being measured (r = .409 to r = .678). These promising results indicate a broad applicability of the ESIS in self-administered questionnaires, and its use in future research is encouraged.

Social inclusion of migrant workers in a pandemic: employing consumer vulnerability lens to internal Indian migrant experience

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to expand the theoretical understanding of social inclusion of vulnerable populations. Employing cross disciplinary literature from marketing and social policy, this paper examines the factors shaping internal migrant workers experience of inclusion and vulnerability in the context of COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a review of social inclusion and consumer vulnerability literature to develop a new and innovative conceptual framework which operationalises social inclusion. This framework was then examined using an illustrative case study of internal migrant worker crisis in India. Data for the case were collected from various national and international media, government and non-government reports published in English on the pandemic related migrant crisis in India.FindingsAccess and control over food was fraught with barriers for migrant workers. As the lockdown progressed, access to and control over work opportunities was precarious. Furthermore, the resource-control constraints faced by migrant workers in terms of food, work and transport had a direct impact on their experience of social inclusion. Lastly, the stranded migrant workers found themselves unable to fully participate in economic activities.Originality/valueTo the authors’ knowledge this is the first paper that integrates consumer vulnerability concept, originating in marketing scholarship into the social inclusion framework. This allowed for anchoring the “aspirational goals” of social inclusion into the concrete context of consumers and marketplaces.

Decommissioning normal: COVID-19 as a disruptor of school norms for young people with learning disabilities.

Accessible summary The COVID‐19 pandemic has forced everyone to live at a social distance from other people. This has changed the way people live and are included socially.This paper focuses on the unexpected ways schools have altered and deepened social inclusion for children with learning disabilities during the COVID‐19 pandemic.We interviewed six people: two people who work for a Local Authority, one Headteacher of a special school, one Special Educational Needs and Disability Consultant, one young person with a learning disability and her mother.The findings and conclusions show the “new normal” caused by COVID‐19 can help to deepen social inclusion for children with learning disabilities. For example, it can help children communicate in alternative ways with their teachers and friends. It can help families to understand more about their son/daughter's educational abilities; this means they can advocate better for them. It can help professionals to meet the needs of children with learning disabilities more quickly.We do not enjoy living at a social distance from everyone else, but we do want to make sure that lessons can be learnt from this moment in time. BackgroundTo slow the spread of COVID‐19, on 20 March 2020, nurseries, schools and colleges across England were closed to all learners, apart from those who were children of key workers or were considered “vulnerable.” As young people with learning disabilities, families, professionals and schools become acquainted with the Erfahrung of the new horizon brought about by COVID‐19, the negativity of altered social inclusion is becoming the “new normal.” Capturing this transitory moment in time, this paper reflexively analyses the curiously productive variables of altered ecological pathways to social inclusion for people with learning disabilities.MethodsTaking a hermeneutic stance, this paper draws on Gadamer's construction of the nature of new experiences. Focussed on the experience of social inclusion during the COVID‐19 pandemic, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with six key stakeholders. As the phenomenon in question was new, an inductive approach to thematic analysis was applied.FindingsThe critical tenet of this paper is that the Erfahrung of COVID‐19 has created the conditions for a “new normal” which have afforded children with learning disabilities altered opportunities for social inclusion, whether that be through increased power/agency for them and their families and/or new modes of connectedness leading to enhanced relationships.ConclusionWhilst the impact of COVID‐19 has been a negative one for many aspects of society, application of Simplican and Gadamer's theories on social inclusion and the nature of new experiences has permitted the surfacing of new possibilities for the social inclusion of children with learning disabilities.

Moroccan immigrant mothers’ experiences of Italian preschool institutions. A mixed-method study

ABSTRACT Being an immigrant mother demands both the redefinition of one’s identity as a woman and as a mother and a ‘double cultural mediation’ in children’s upbringing, between the culture of origin and that of the host country. Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) are key settings to supporting the wellbeing and the integration of immigrants. This contribution presents research conducted in Italy within the international ISOTIS project (www.isotis.org). Drawing on 114 structured interviews and 12 narrative-biographical interviews, this paper analyses how Moroccan mothers described their relationship with the ECEC system, teachers, and other parents. While survey data indicated that mothers who perceived discrimination were likely to participate less, the qualitative interviews showed that the ECEC settings were generally supportive and non-discriminatory. The ECEC services’ support resulted to be a turning point in the educational and social path of children and mothers themselves. The relationship with the teacher was depicted mostly as positive and meaningful, though the Italian parents’ network seemed harder to join, unveiling a segmented experience of social inclusion and exclusion between in and out of the school context. The findings may contribute to identifying factors facilitating or hindering immigrant parents’ full inclusion and participation in the community life.

Determinants of Positive Mental Health in Adolescents–A Cross-Sectional Study on Relationships between Positive Mental Health, Self-Esteem, Character Strengths and Social Inclusion

Adolescence is a crucial time period with especial vulnerability for development of mental health problems. Growing interest is focusing on the determinants of positive mental health in order to find the key concepts that could be influenced in the promotion of mental well-being of adolescents. In this study we aim to explore the relations between self-esteem, character strengths and experience of social inclusion as determinants of adolescents’ positive mental health controlled for selected sociodemographic background factors. The study population (n = 195) consisted of comprehensive school students who filled in an electronic questionnaire of adolescent’s mental well-being in Fall 2019. The questionnaire included measures of Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), VIA Youth-measure 96, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Experience of Social Inclusion Scale. The methods included group comparisons and General Linear Model computed by SPSS 24.0. The strongest association was found between positive mental health and self-esteem (β = 0.789, p < 0.001), followed by character strengths of hope and kindness and experience of social inclusion. Interestingly, family’s socioeconomic factors did not associate significantly with positive mental health in the final statistical model. In terms of our results, it seems that self-esteem, character strengths and experience of social inclusion might have stronger association with adolescents’ mental well-being than family’s socioeconomic determinants. Therefore, it should be discussed whether psychological determinants overcome the individual effect of poor socioeconomic status as factors that influence positive mental health. Further studies are needed to establish these results more firmly.

Longing for a sense of belonging—Somali immigrant adolescents’ experiences of their acculturation efforts in Sweden

ABSTRACT Purpose: Research on Somali adolescent immigrants’ interactions with their new society and school context is pertinent to more deeply understand changes in their practices, values, and identity resulting from continued first-hand contact with the Swedish culture, known as acculturation, as this process has been shown to affect mental health. The aim of this study was to investigate Somali immigrant adolescents’ experiences of social inclusion and exclusion as well as their need for support in their efforts to acculturate into society and the school environment.Method: A qualitative explorative study was performed. Data were collected from six focus group discussions with 47 Somali immigrant adolescents living in Sweden. The data were analysed using thematic network analysis.Results: A global theme emerged from the analysis: longing for a sense of belonging. Two underpinning organising themes described the participants’ longing for a sense of belonging to society and school: experience of social exclusion andpathways of inclusion and acculturation. Each organising theme consisted of three or four basic themes.Conclusion: This study highlights several key considerations on how schools can help adolescents who have recently immigrated to Sweden achieve a sense of belonging.

Social inclusion and exclusion of people with mental illness in Timor-Leste: a qualitative investigation with multiple stakeholders

BackgroundSocial inclusion is a human right for all people, including people with mental illness. It is also an important part of recovery from mental illness. In Timor-Leste, no research has investigated the social experiences of people with mental illness and their families. To fill this knowledge gap and inform ongoing mental health system strengthening, we investigated the experiences of social inclusion and exclusion of people with mental illness and their families in Timor-Leste.MethodsEighty-five participants from the following stakeholder groups across multiple locations in Timor-Leste were interviewed: (1) people with mental illness and their families; (2) mental health and social service providers; (3) government decision makers; (4) civil society members; and (5) other community members. Framework analysis was used to analyse interview transcripts.ResultsPeople with mental illness in Timor-Leste were found to face widespread, multi-faceted sociocultural, economic and political exclusion. People with mental illness were stigmatised as a consequence of beliefs that they were dangerous and lacked capacity, and experienced instances of bullying, physical and sexual violence, and confinement. Several barriers to formal employment, educational, social protection and legal systems were identified. Experiences of social inclusion for people with mental illness were also described at family and community levels. People with mental illness were included through family and community structures that promoted unity and acceptance. They also had opportunities to participate in activities surrounding family life and livelihoods that contributed to intergenerational well-being. Some, but not all, Timorese people with mental illness benefited from disability-inclusive programming and policies, including the disability pension, training programs and peer support.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the need to combat social exclusion of people with mental illness and their families by harnessing local Timorese sociocultural strengths. Such an approach could centre around people with mental illness and their families to: increase population mental health awareness; bolster rights-based and culturally-grounded mental health services; and promote inclusive and accessible services and systems across sectors.