# Designing belonging: Advancing science on environmental modifications to foster activity engagement and social connection among individuals with serious mental illness

> **NIH NIH K01** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · 2024 · $184,540

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
 People with serious mental illness (SMI) experience dramatically worse health and longevity than the
general population, which is exacerbated by extremely high rates of loneliness and social isolation. Both social
isolation (lack of social supports) and loneliness (the subjective experience of isolation) are highly predictive of
early mortality. Although social isolation and loneliness are inherently relational, influenced by contextual
factors, and prevalent among people with SMI, very little is known about how to design community mental
health environments that foster social connection (“social architecture”). Thus, the goal of this K01 is to lay the
foundation for an innovative, impactful research career focused on reducing social isolation among people with
SMI through environmental design. My research plan employs a rigorous, mixed-method design to: 1) identify
environmental features associated with two behavioral mechanisms of action: activity engagement and social
interaction; 2) examine associations between activity engagement, social interaction, and self-reported
loneliness and support; and 3) feasibility test the co-design and implementation of an environmental
modification to support social connection. To do this, I will first conduct socio-spatial observations of activity
engagement and social interaction in four mental health Clubhouses in Hawaii. These are community-based
psychosocial rehabilitation centers that are highly interested in reducing loneliness among their members.
Observation data will be paired with survey data (N=150) to examine associations between observed activity
engagement and social interaction and self-reported loneliness and social support. Second, spatial
observations and social network data will be visualized to refine a conceptual model interlinking engagement
and social interaction. These visualizations will be shared with participating Clubhouses to contextualize the
identified patterns in engagement and social interaction and to co-identify potentially modifiable environmental
features associated with them. Third, an environmental intervention co-design process will be conducted in one
Clubhouse and the intervention will be implemented. Feasibility data on the co-design process and
modification of the environmental intervention protocol will be collected through field notes and a final focus
group and subsequently analyzed qualitatively. This research will be carried out with close mentorship from a
team of highly accomplished senior scholars: Drs. Henwood, Wenzel, Salzer, Valente, Wilson, and Stark. Their
work is directly aligned with my career and training goals, which focus on three intersecting areas of expertise:
1) socio-spatial methods (GIS, social network analysis and ecological momentary assessment), 2) theory
linking environmental design, human behaviors, and health, and 3) environmental intervention co-design based
on community-based participatory research principles. This K01 build...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11054389
- **Project number:** 1K01MH136343-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Joy Agner
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $184,540
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-11 → 2028-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11054389

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11054389, Designing belonging: Advancing science on environmental modifications to foster activity engagement and social connection among individuals with serious mental illness (1K01MH136343-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11054389. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*