Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention

The CIS-APP is a self-report instrument designed to assess community integration in adults (18 or older) with psychiatric problems. Items are responded in a scale ranging from 1 (Completely disagree) to 5 (Completely agree), in which higher scores indicate higher levels of community integration. Instructions include a brief definition of community, so that all respondents are provided with a uniform and consensual definition of community. The initial version of the scale is composed of 4 dimensions:

• Physical Community Integration dimension consisted of 8 items assessing the extent to which individuals spend their time outside their homes, participate and use community resources by self-initiative (e.g. “I go out by my own”, “I go alone to social services, the clinic, the pharmacy at the health center / hospital, or another.);
• Social Community Integration dimension comprises 12 items assessing the degree with which individuals are involved in social interactions with other (healthy) members of their community, and the quantity and quality of these relationships (e.g. I usually talk to many people; I have many friends);
• Psychological Community Integration dimension is composed of 7 items, assessing the extent to which individuals perceive themselves as a part of their community, bond emotionally to their neighbors, believe in their ability to satisfy their needs and to influence the community (e.g. “I feel that I belong to my community”, “I feel emotionally connected with people from my community”).
• Independence dimension consisted of 7 items assessing the individuals’ capacity to develop their daily activities autonomously (e.g. “When I need to talk to someone who is not around, I can get in touch with them by my own and without the need of other people”, “I manage my own medication schedule, taking it on time and in the right dosage.”).