BARRIERS INTERFERING WITH LIFE SATISFACTION FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SEVERE MENTAL-ILLNESS

Consumer-driven practice begins with the consumer identifying wants an d needs. Intervention involves removal of barriers so that wants and n eeds can be met. The purpose of this study was to compare the percepti ons of consumers and case managers regarding barriers interfering with life satisfaction It was hypothesized that case managers would identi fy more person barriers and fewer environmental barriers than consumer s. Data obtained from 19 consumers with severe mental illness and thei r case managers using a structured interview indicated that case manag ers identified significantly more person barriers (t=2.54, p <.02) and significantly fewer environmental barriers than did consumers (t=2.05 , p <.05). Conflicting perceptions between professionals and consumers may compromise interventions.