Political engagement as an element of social recovery: a qualitative study.

Objective: Taking a qualitative approach, this study sought to describe consumer attitudes toward political participation and the association between political engagement and social recovery.

Methods: This study used data from seven focus groups of self-identified consumers of mental health services in the New York City area (N=52). Attitudes and behaviors related to voting and other forms of political engagement were identified and classified according to grounded theory, with a focus on the relationship between political engagement and broader social functioning, participation, and recovery.