Abstract
Background: Housing is widely recognised as a key social determinant of mental health and recovery, yet the concept of home remains under-theorised and inconsistently applied in practice and policy.
Aims: The aim of this systematic review is to examine home for people with serious mental illness (SMI), focussing on various stakeholder perspectives reported in literature.
Methods: Records from CINAHL, Emcare, ProQuest, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (n = 5,309) were double screened, resulting in 26 peer-reviewed studies for inclusion. Thematic analysis identified fifteen themes synthesised according to perspectives of four different populations: individuals with SMI; their family members; landlords; staff; and sector experts.
Results: Contrary to a house, home was described as shaped by emotional safety, personal control, daily routines, and the quality of social relationships. Findings underscored the need for relational, flexible, and context-sensitive housing approaches that support autonomy, continuity, and belonging.
Conclusions: This review contributes to a more nuanced understanding of home as a multi-dimensional and negotiated concept, from the perspective of multiple stakeholders, with implications for mental health policy, service design, and future research.
Aims: The aim of this systematic review is to examine home for people with serious mental illness (SMI), focussing on various stakeholder perspectives reported in literature.
Methods: Records from CINAHL, Emcare, ProQuest, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (n = 5,309) were double screened, resulting in 26 peer-reviewed studies for inclusion. Thematic analysis identified fifteen themes synthesised according to perspectives of four different populations: individuals with SMI; their family members; landlords; staff; and sector experts.
Results: Contrary to a house, home was described as shaped by emotional safety, personal control, daily routines, and the quality of social relationships. Findings underscored the need for relational, flexible, and context-sensitive housing approaches that support autonomy, continuity, and belonging.
Conclusions: This review contributes to a more nuanced understanding of home as a multi-dimensional and negotiated concept, from the perspective of multiple stakeholders, with implications for mental health policy, service design, and future research.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | International Journal of Social Psychiatry |
| Early online date | 4 Nov 2025 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 4 Nov 2025 |
Keywords
- SMI
- severe mental illness
- assisted independent housing
- assisted independent living
- residential care facility