What the study found
The review says that people with severe mental illness experience very high levels of social exclusion, and that improving social inclusion needs action beyond specialist mental health services. It also says that social inclusion varies by culture, life stage, and gender, and that low social inclusion is linked with loneliness.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that mental health services alone may not be enough, and that broader strategies at the levels of legislation, policy, statutory services, and civil society are needed. They also suggest that understanding social inclusion in context matters because valued activities differ across cultures and life stages.
What the researchers tested
The paper is a review of current practices, evidence, unmet needs, and future directions for social inclusion in severe mental illness. It considers interventions and strategies across legislation, services, community assets, and approaches to reducing stigma and discrimination, drawing mainly on evidence from the Global North and including examples from the Global South where available.
What worked and what didn't
The abstract says there is an evidence base for interventions to address loneliness and for strategies to increase observable forms of social inclusion, but it does not describe which specific interventions worked best. It also notes that some health-service frameworks may be less empowering than alternative approaches, and that evidence is stronger for some settings than others.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not provide detailed study methods, effect sizes, or direct comparisons between interventions. It also notes that much of the evidence comes from the Global North, so the extent of applicability across contexts may be limited, and the available summary does not describe specific limitations beyond that.
Key points
- People with severe mental illness are described as experiencing some of the highest rates of social exclusion.
- The review says social inclusion differs by culture, life stage, and gender.
- The authors argue that social inclusion cannot be left to specialist mental health services alone.
- Evidence is described for some interventions addressing loneliness and observable social inclusion, but the abstract does not name the most effective ones.
- Much of the evidence used in the review comes from the Global North, with some examples from the Global South.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Review maps social inclusion needs for people with severe mental illness
- Authors:
- Claire Henderson, Yasuhiro Kotera, Brynmor Lloyd‐Evans, Gerald Jordan, Matthew Gorner, Anthony Salla, Jasmine Kalha, Peter A. Coventry, LAURA BOJKE, Sebastian Hinde, Mike Dominic Slade
- Institutions:
- King's College London, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Osaka University, Institute of Mental Health, University College London, Birmingham City University, Genesis Research Institute, City, University of London, Indian Law Institute, University of York, Nord University
- Publication date:
- 2026-01-14
- OpenAlex record:
- View
- Image credit:
- Photo by Peter Burdon on Unsplash · Unsplash License
Get the weekly research newsletter
Stay current with peer-reviewed research without reading academic papers — one filtered digest, every Friday.