A multisite longitudinal evaluation of Canadian clubhouse members: Impact on hospitalizations and community functioning.

Objective: The Clubhouse model of psychosocial rehabilitation supports the personal recovery of individuals with severe mental health challenges. To date, there has never been a multisite, longitudinal study examining the outcomes of Clubhouse members in Canada. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to longitudinally assess the psychosocial outcomes and hospitalization rates of Clubhouse members from six Clubhouses across Canada. An exploratory aim of this study was to assess the psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Clubhouse members.

Method: The present study used a participatory approach with six accredited Clubhouses across Canada. A total of 462 Clubhouse members consented to participate in the study. Members completed a questionnaire battery every 6 months over a 2-year period (five data points total). The last three data points were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Primary outcomes included community functioning, measured by the Multnomah Community Ability Scale, and self-reported hospitalization rates. Data were analyzed using multilevel growth models.

Results: The results of the analysis indicated stability over the study period in community functioning and rates of hospitalization. Subscales of community functioning, including interference in functioning and behavioral problems improved over the course of the study, while adjustment to the community and social competence remained stable.

Conclusions and implications for practice: The consistency in outcomes across the study is notable, due to the worldwide impact of COVID-19 on mental health. Clubhouses may have had a buffering effect for members, in that membership diminished the impact of the pandemic on mental health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).