130 Chapter 5 INTRODUCTION Forensic psychiatric patients often face multiple and persistent mental problems as well as social network-related problems leading to criminal behavior or relapse into crime (Murphy, 2000; Smeekens, Sappelli, de Vries, & Bulten, 2021; ter Haar-Pomp et al., 2019). An informal social network, consisting of connections with family, friends, peers, and romantic partners, is described as one of the values and primary human goods to be attained in forensic mental healthcare (Barnao et al., 2016; Cooney, 2020; Ward & Brown, 2004). Although two dominant models used to frame forensic mental healthcare – the risk need responsivity (RNR) model and good lives model (GLM) – emphasize the importance of social networks, to date, evidence-based social network interventions for forensic psychiatric patients have yet to be established (Andrews & Bonta, 2010; Andrews et al., 1990a; Nicholls et al., 2022; Ward & Brown, 2004). Moreover, there is an ongoing need to further improve treatment effectiveness for this vulnerable population with complex needs (MacInnes & Masino, 2019; MacKenzie & Farrington, 2015; McIntosh et al., 2021; Völlm et al., 2018). A supportive social network is considered an important protective factor against mental health problems and criminal recidivism (Bootsma et al., 2017; Cohen & Wills, 1985; Klinger et al., 2020; Southwick & Charney, 2012; Ullrich & Coid, 2011). Multiple cross-sectional studies found that social support is positively related to mental health (recovery) and mental wellbeing in general and psychiatric populations (Corrigan & Phelan, 2004; Harandi et al., 2017; Mahmoud, Berma, & Gabal, 2017; Werner-Seidler, Afzali, Chapman, Sunderland, & Slade, 2017). Furthermore, qualitative studies showed that having a supportive, trustful, stable, and prosocial network positively influenced forensic patients’ perceptions of rehabilitation from institutions to society (Gustafsson, Holm, & Flensner, 2012; Schön et al., 2009). More specific, supportive relationships with both professionals and informal social networks were described as core factors that contributed to recovery both in general and forensic psychiatric care (Schön et al., 2009; Shepherd, Doyle, Sanders, & Shaw, 2016). Although the relationship between social network factors and criminal recidivism is not fully understood (ter Haar-Pomp et al., 2015), several studies did find that higher family support and social connections are related to lower criminal recidivism in forensic populations (Barrick et al., 2014; Berg & Huebner, 2011; Borowsky et al., 1997; Lodewijks et al., 2010; Spjeldnes, Jung, Maguire, & Yamatani, 2012). Despite the promise of social network interventions as a means of improving treatment outcomes, enhancement of social networks outside the therapeutic environment is not often addressed in (forensic) psychiatric treatment (Bootsma et al., 2017; Perese & Wolf, 2005).
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