Effect of the Connecting People Intervention on Social Capital: A Pilot Study

• Published in: Research on social work practice Vol. 29; no. 5; pp. 483 - 494
• Main Authors: Webber, Martin, Morris, David, Howarth, Sharon, Fendt-Newlin, Meredith, Treacy, Samantha, McCrone, Paul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-07-2019; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Clinical outcomes; Confidence intervals; Fidelity; Health problems; Health services; Intellectually disabled people; Intervention; Learning disabilities; Mental disorders; Mental health; Pilot projects; Social capital; Social exclusion; Social integration; Social services; Well being; social capital; mental well-being; preexperimental design; complex intervention; social networks; mental health
• ISSN: 1049-7315; 1552-7581
• DOI: 10.1177/1049731517753685

Objective:
This pilot study evaluated the effect of the Connecting People Intervention (CPI) on access to social capital, social inclusion, and mental well-being.
Method:
A prospective one-group pretest–posttest preexperimental study of 155 people with a mental health problem or a learning disability receiving care and support from health and social care practitioners trained in the CPI was used.
Results:
Participants exposed to practice with high fidelity to the CPI model had significantly higher access to social capital (p = .03, partial η2 = .05) and perceived social inclusion (p = .01, partial η2 = .07), and lower service costs (−£1,331, 95% confidence interval = [−£69, −£2593]), posttest than those exposed to low fidelity to the model. All participants had significantly higher mental well-being posttest (p < .001).
Conclusions:
These preliminary results suggest that when fully implemented, the CPI can improve social outcomes for people with a mental health problem or learning disability.