The Effectiveness of Psychiatric Day Centres: Longitudinal Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Mental Health Services Research
• Social Work

Background:

• Day centres offer low-threshold support for individuals with severe and prolonged mental illness.
• The effectiveness of these services has not been empirically evaluated.
• Understanding the impact of day centres is crucial for improving mental healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of regular attendance at day centres for individuals with severe and prolonged mental illness.
• To examine improvements in mental health outcomes, psychosocial functioning, and quality of life.
• To provide empirical evidence on the benefits of day centre utilization.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach combining cross-sectional and longitudinal study designs.
• Cross-sectional survey of 87 service users and a longitudinal study of 16 new admissions.
• Assessment of psychosocial participation limitations (IMET), quality of life (MANSA), symptom severity (SCL-K-9, PHQ-9), self-esteem (G-SISE), and self-efficacy (ASKU).
• Statistical analysis using descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon-signed-rank test.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements (p < 0.05) were observed across all measured outcomes, including psychosocial participation, quality of life, symptom severity, self-esteem, and self-efficacy.
• Large effect sizes (r > 0.5) indicate a substantial positive impact of day centre attendance.
• Key goals for attendance included establishing daily routines, social contact, and engaging in meaningful activities.

Conclusions:

• Day centre attendance demonstrates significant positive effects on mental health recovery.
• The findings provide initial empirical evidence supporting the role of day centres in restoring psychosocial functions.
• Day centres are effective in supporting individuals with severe and prolonged mental illness on their recovery journey.