Families in high-rise flats

Abstract

Exactly how important living in high-rise flats is as a factor in the development of mental illness remains uncertain, but from a consumer's point of view certain facts have been established. The strong dissatisfaction with this sort of accommodation in families with young children, though it may be partially offset by unusually good play facilities, should determine that such families should be housed elsewhere whenever possible. In planning future research close attention should be paid to selecting adequate control groups, particularly in the light of the sociological insights of Brown and Harris. We need to understand more about the reasons for the rapid turnover of tenants in local authority housing and to learn how to identify those families able to adjust in some degree and even derive satisfaction from their accommodation as well as those likely to suffer adversely.