THE ACCURACY OF REPORTS ON HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD CONDITIONS BY PERSONS WITH SEVERE MENTAL-ILLNESS

This paper summarizes the results and implications of a validation stu dy of reports of housing and neighborhood conditions by persons with s evere mental illness. Reports of housing repair status and neighborhoo d conditions were obtained in personal interviews with persons with se vere mental illness. These reports were compared to the highly accurat e reports of repair need and neighborhood conditions subsequently coll ected by trained housing inspectors. The results suggest that individu als with severe mental illness are valid reporters of adequate conditi ons in their homes and neighborhoods, but they are less able to report accurately about inadequate conditions in their residential environme nts.