Paweł Bronowski, Maria Załuska

Social support of chronically mentally ill patients             13-19

Summary

Aim: The assessment of social support system for mentally ill people, participating in a local rehabilitation programme in the Targowek district of Warsaw.

Method: The sample consists of 92 participants with serious mental illnesses. Bizon's Social Support Inventory and Social Support Map were used.

Results: Patients' individual social networks were small (9 persons on average) but had a broad scope of functions. Therapists from community rehabilitation services are the biggest group of people included in the individual network of social support. Lack of emotional support is observed.

Conclusion: Participation in a local system of rehabilitation improves the quantity and quality of individual systems of social support given to chronically mentally ill patients.