Background
Services addressing substance use and mental health issues have been criticized for insufficiently integrating the social context into treatment and follow-up care. In the context of Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (FACT), where social integration is a central goal, the concept of social inclusion remains underexplored, particularly for young adults. Additionally, social inclusion is often criticized as vague and lacking practical applicability. This study aims to generate practice-oriented knowledge on how social inclusion is understood and promoted for young adults with mental illness and complex needs.
Methods
Qualitative, semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 7 young adults and 6 staff members in FACT teams, employing an explorative and participatory design. Thematic analysis was used to examine the data.
Results
Findings reveal limited awareness and knowledge among both young adults and staff on how to effectively promote social inclusion. Young adults highlighted barriers such as a negative self-identity and a sense of not mattering, while staff acknowledged a lack of systematic approaches to inclusion. The results indicate difficulties in integrating both objective (e.g., work, education) and subjective or psychological (e.g., identity, mattering) dimensions of inclusion. The results emphasize the need for a tangible and multifaceted framework that incorporates psychological and sociological perspectives. The results in the oral communication will be discussed with emphasis on Nordic context and conditions.
Conclusion
The study underscores the importance of developing and combining practical tools and frameworks, such as the Citizenship framework, the Mattering approach with special emphasis on identity development, to enhance social inclusion efforts.
Silje Nord-Baade
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