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Recipients of Representative Payeeship with Mental Illness: Financial Leverage, Conflict, and Satisfaction

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Abstract

This study aimed to examine self-report of financial leverage, conflict, and satisfaction pertaining to representative payeeship for persons with mental illness, which research has not examined in the past decade. Sixty representative payee recipients with mental illness residing across the U.S. completed an online survey, with most (n = 50) receiving representative payeeship by family members/friends. Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests and Spearman correlations were computed. One-third of participants reported experiencing financial leverage and conflict “sometimes” or more often and were dissatisfied with their representative payee arrangement. With the exception of use of alcohol and/or drugs, no participant characteristic was associated with financial leverage, conflict, or satisfaction. Financial leverage was reported to be greater when representative payees were family members/friends. Financial leverage and conflict were positively associated with each other and negatively associated with satisfaction. It is advisable that satisfaction with representative payeeship be increased and conflict resulting from representative payeeship be minimized.

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Correspondence to Travis Labrum.

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This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the institutional review board at the University of Pittsburgh. All participants provided informed consent, prior to participating in the study. This research did not involve the use of animals.

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Labrum, T., Petros, R., Jacobs, L. et al. Recipients of Representative Payeeship with Mental Illness: Financial Leverage, Conflict, and Satisfaction. Community Ment Health J 60, 1017–1024 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-024-01257-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-024-01257-8

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