An examination of time-use among adults diagnosed with severe mental illnesses using daily interviews

The authors examined clinical, demographic and programmatic predictors of average time-use during weekdays and weekends.

Mental health consumers (N = 22) participating in day treatment (DT) and assertive community treatment (ACT) programs first completed measures of symptoms and substance use, and then completed daily interviews on time-use for up to 20 days.

Consumers who were participating in DT, as opposed to ACT, spent more weekday time in productive activity, but only when treatment was considered productive activity. DT participants also reported more weekend productive time-use. Clinical and demographic variables did not predict productive time-use, with the exception of negative symptoms (which predicted less) and African-American ethnicity (which predicted more).

Findings are consistent with previous studies indicating that many mental health consumers spend considerable amounts of time involved in sleep and passive leisure. However, structural factors, rather than symptoms, may be the greatest determinants of productive time-use. Rehabilitation interventions may need to be tailored to increase such opportunities for productive time-use.