Coping and satisfaction among the chronically mentally disabled

Abstract

In this paper we describe a socio-ecological model of coping to serve as a conceptual framework for research on the factors influencing the quality of everyday life among the chronically mentally disabled in the community. Interview data collected from 66 clients in three aftercare programs in Hamilton, Ontario are used to construct composite indices of coping and satisfaction. The relationships between these indices and client and community variables are examined. The results are the basis for profiling the characteristics of clients who report different levels of coping and satisfaction.