Social networks and psychiatric clients: the personal and environmental context

The study examines the extent to which characteristics of psychiatric clients (interpersonal problem-solving) and their families (family climate and family social resources) are associated with dimensions of clients' social networks (size and support). Respondents were 35 clients recruited from outpatient psychiatric clinics and the family members with whom they resided. The results revealed that individual and environmental variables were significant correlates of social network dimensions. For example, client problem-solving was positively related to the number of intimates cited by the client, while level of independence was positively related to the degree of support clients reported receiving from their peers. Level of client psychopathology partially moderated the effects of some of the predictor variables. The results highlight the need to examine the individual and environmental processes that shape and are shaped by social network patterns.