Clubhouse Peer Support among Individuals with Psychiatric Illness

The purpose of the study was to delineate peer support among clubhouse members in the context of the “work-ordered day (WOD),” the core of the clubhouse model for psychiatric recovery. The study drew on qualitative data collected in 2009-2011 via participant observation and in-depth interviews with 45 members and 11 staff of a clubhouse in New York City. A grounded theory approach to data analysis yielded themes including “peer to peer collaboration” during WOD and “circle of personal peer relationships” expanded as secondary to WOD participation. The study also highlighted how side-by-side WOD participation mediates these personal relationships. The clubhouse peer support, while paralleling daily patterns seen in the outside world of work, also embraced ranges of positive self-help group experiences. An underlying notion seemed to be the sense of normalcy, which can be integral to recovery. Future research should compare peer support across clubhouses in different cultures and societies.