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Measuring Personal Loss Among Adults Coping with Serious Mental Illness

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Abstract

Psychometric properties of a brief self-report measure of personal loss for adults coping with psychiatric disability are examined. The Personal Loss from Mental Illness Scale (PLMI) is a 20-item measure that assesses overall perceptions and four interrelated aspects of personal loss from mental illness. Using a sample of 158 adults with serious mental illness, the PLMI was found to have a meaningful factor structure, good internal consistency and high test–retest reliability. Construct validity is evidenced by positive correlations between personal loss scores, number of psychiatric hospitalizations, self-reports of loneliness, psychological symptoms, and problems with alcohol. PLMI scores were unrelated to scores on a personal growth measure and negatively correlated with scores on a positive well-being scale. Implications of the PLMI for research on coping, adaptation and recovery from serious mental illness are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA

    Catherine H. Stein, Dryw O. Dworsky, Russell E. Phillips III & Marcia G. Hunt

Authors
  1. Catherine H. Stein
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  2. Dryw O. Dworsky
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  3. Russell E. Phillips III
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  4. Marcia G. Hunt
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Catherine H. Stein.

Additional information

This research was supported by a grant from the Ohio Department of Mental Health (99.1144) awarded to the first author. We extend our appreciation to participants in the research and to the graduate students who served as interviewers for the study.

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Stein, C.H., Dworsky, D.O., Phillips, R.E. et al. Measuring Personal Loss Among Adults Coping with Serious Mental Illness. Community Ment Health J 41, 129–139 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-005-2648-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-005-2648-7

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