A complex array of personal capacity and housing factors are associated with community participation among persons with psychiatric disabilities, a recent study found. The study examined housing and personal capacity factors associated with community participation in a large sample of persons with psychiatric disabilities living in the same neighborhoods (defined by specified zip codes). 343 persons with psychiatric disabilities were recruited from congregate and independent scatter-site housing programs in 3 New York City-area neighborhoods with high concentrations of housing for persons with psychiatric disabilities. Community participation measures were grouped into 3 factors: social community participation, physical community participation, and vocational involvement. Researchers found:

• Social community participation was associated with negative symptoms and active coping, but not by housing.
• Independent living-skill moderated the relationship between independent scatter-site housing and social community participation.
• Physical community participation was associated with negative symptoms, active coping, independent living-skill, and residence in independent scatter-site housing.
• Vocational involvement was only associated with negative symptoms.