Mental Health and Wellbeing in Cohousing Communities: An Ethnographically Informed Approach

Loneliness and social isolation are growing public health concerns. Conversely, community membership is associated with reduced mortality risk and ameliorates mental distress. This paper explores how residents of a self-governing cohousing community, comprised of private dwellings and common spaces, understand the impact of community living on their mental health and well-being. An ethnographically informed method is used. Data is analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and comprises fieldnote observations of a community, semi-structured interviews, and relevant community documentation. Four themes were generated: (1) Social Pollination: How a Community Protects, (2) Finding Your Tribe: Meaning and Purpose in Cohousing, (3) Deconstructing Defensible Spaces, (4) Conflict and Tension in a Social World. Residents benefitted from a strong sense of meaning and identity, support when experiencing distress or raising children, and increased security from a sharing economy. Perceived social burdens, conflict, and distress are experienced and mitigated by resolution processes.