Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Applying an eMASS Customization Program as a Research Tool to Evaluate Consumer Benefits
Published on: September 27, 2019
Consumer-operated self centers: environment, empowerment, and satisfaction
Margaret Swarbrick1, Lisa T Schmidt, Carlos W Pratt
1University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, School of Health Related Professions, Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Newark, USA. pswarbrick@cspnj.org
Abstract:
Consumer-operated self-help centers were designed to provide social environments that promote participant empowerment and satisfaction. This exploratory, descriptive study examined how variance in empowerment and satisfaction scores could be explained by participants' perceptions of the social environment factors (relationship, personal growth, and systems maintenance and change) and quantity of participation. Participants (N = 144) involved in consumer-operated self-help centers completed a four-part, 161-item survey designed to capture perceptions of satisfaction, empowerment, social environment factors, quantity of center participation, and demographic data. Significant relationships were found between participant satisfaction and the three social environment factors. Findings also indicated that participant empowerment was related to quantity of self-help center involvement. From these exploratory analyses, recommendations are made on how to improve consumer-run self-help center operations.
Related Concept Videos
Community Based Intervention
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model
Sources of Self-Esteem II: Performance Feedback
Patient-centered Care
Self-Regulation
The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison