Recovery Star: validating user recovery

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoff Dickens ◽  
Judy Weleminsky ◽  
Yetunde Onifade ◽  
Philip Sugarman

Aims and methodMental Health Recovery Star is a multifaceted 10-item outcomes measure and key-working tool that has been widely adopted by service providers in the UK. We aimed to explore its factorial validity, internal consistency and responsiveness. Recovery Star readings were conducted twice with 203 working-age adults with moderate to severe mental health problems attending a range of mental health services, and a third time with 113 of these individuals.ResultsMental Health Recovery Star had high internal consistency and appeared to measure an underlying recovery-oriented construct. Results supported a valid two-factor structure which explained 48% of variance in Recovery Star ratings data. Two Recovery Star items (‘relationships’ and ‘addictive behaviour’) did not load onto either factor. There was good statistically significant item responsiveness, and no obvious item redundancy. Data for a small number of variables were not normally distributed and the implications of this are discussed.Clinical implicationsRecovery Star has been received enthusiastically by both mental health service providers and service users. This study provides further evidence for its adoption in recovery-focused mental health services and indicates that items relating to addictive behaviour, responsibilities and work could be further developed in future.

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. e83-e95
Author(s):  
Kris Southby ◽  
Frank Keating ◽  
Stephen Joseph

Racial disparities for African and Caribbean men are nowhere as stark as in mental health services and outcomes. Men from these communities who have been in contact with mental health services seemed to be stuck in a stalled cycle of recovery. This paper reports the findings from a study that aimed to explore how African and Caribbean men and their supporters conceptualise mental health recovery at the intersections of masculinity, racialised identities and mental distress. It illuminates the perspectives of service users,family, carers and practitioners on recovery in relation to ethnicity and culture.Owing to the exploratory nature of this study, a qualitative design using a phenomenological approach was adopted to capture the dynamics of recovery processes and outcomes for African and Caribbean men across two study sites. Interviews were conducted with African and Caribbean men, their supporters and service providers. Interpretive Phenomenology Analysis (IPA; Smith J, Flowers P, Larkin M. Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory method and research. London: SAGE; 2009) was used to offer insights into how recovery was understood and experienced by study participants.Seven overarching themes emerged from the data in relation to the meanings of recovery: recovering from social suffering, leading a normal life, (re)gaining control and agency, a sense of hope, (re)gaining identity, reduced medical involvement, and recovery being a healing journey. The paper concludes that recovery is an ongoing process, not merely a narrow outcome to be achieved for men. The paper advances previous understandings by conceptualising mental health recovery for African and Caribbean men as a journey towards addressing individual and collective “social suffering” that occurs at the intersections of masculinity, “race” and mental distress, and moving to a better social location.


2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sami Timimi

SummaryIn 2007 the UK Government announced a substantial expansion of funding for psychological therapies for those presenting with common mental health problems. This ‘Improving Access to Psychological Therapies’ (IAPT) project was widely welcomed, however, evidence backed, economic, and conceptual critiques were voiced from the start and the project remains controversial. In 2011, the UK government announced it was extending the IAPT project to encompass services for children and young people with the aim of ‘transforming’ the way mental health services are delivered to them. Here I critically reflect on the problems associated first with IAPT and then with CYP-IAPT and ponder whether CYP-IAPT is significantly different to the problematic adult IAPT project or more of the same.


2021 ◽  
pp. 002202212110398
Author(s):  
Christina Fa’alogo-Lilo ◽  
Claire Cartwright

As with minority groups internationally, Pacific peoples in New Zealand (Pasifika) experience higher rates of mental health problems than the general population, and are less likely to access mental health services. This study investigated the barriers and supports for Pasifika accessing and using mental health services with participation of 25 Pasifika (10 service-providers, 11 ex-service-users, and 4 ex-service-users/providers) in order to gain their key informant perspectives. A Pasifika-appropriate Talanoa approach was used to guide the data-collection process and the qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Barriers included stigma among Pasifika regarding mental health problems, commitment to finding solutions within the family, and both mistrust and lack of knowledge of services. Within the services, non-Pasifika providers often lacked understanding of the collectivist cultural values and practices of Pasifika, including spiritual beliefs. They were more likely to use services if the providers were respectful of Pasifika practices and paid attention to developing relationships in a culturally appropriate way. This included involvement of the Pasifika family, when possible. Service-users often benefited from contact with Pasifika providers within mainstream services. These results support previous cross-cultural research that indicates the importance of offering evaluation and intervention services grounded in an understanding and respect for the cultural significance and meaning of mental health problems for the person, the family, and their community. While efforts are made to address these issues in New Zealand, change is slow and ongoing cultural training for service-providers along with psychoeducation for Pasifika about mental health services is strongly desirable.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. e029342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Slade ◽  
Stefan Rennick-Egglestone ◽  
Laura Blackie ◽  
Joy Llewellyn-Beardsley ◽  
Donna Franklin ◽  
...  

ObjectivesPost-traumatic growth, defined as positive psychological change experienced as a result of the struggle with challenging life circumstances, is under-researched in people with mental health problems. The aim of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for post-traumatic growth in the context of recovery for people with psychosis and other severe mental health problems.DesignQualitative thematic analysis of cross-sectional semi-structured interviews about personal experiences of mental health recovery.SettingEngland.ParticipantsParticipants were adults aged over 18 and: (1) living with psychosis and not using mental health services (n=21); (2) using mental health services and from black and minority ethnic communities (n=21); (3) underserved, operationalised as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community or complex needs or rural community (n=19); or (4) employed in peer roles using their lived experience with others (n=16). The 77 participants comprised 42 (55%) female and 44 (57%) white British.ResultsComponents of post-traumatic growth were present in 64 (83%) of recovery narratives. Six superordinate categories were identified, consistent with a view that post-traumatic growth involves learning about oneself (self-discovery) leading to a new sense of who one is (sense of self) and appreciation of life (life perspective). Observable positively valued changes comprise a greater focus on self-management (well-being) and more importance being attached to relationships (relationships) and spiritual or religious engagement (spirituality). Categories are non-ordered and individuals may start from any point in this process.ConclusionsPost-traumatic growth is often part of mental health recovery. Changes are compatible with research about growth following trauma, but with more emphasis on self-discovery, integration of illness-related experiences and active self-management of well-being. Trauma-related growth may be a preferable term for participants who identify as having experienced trauma. Trauma-informed mental healthcare could use the six identified categories as a basis for new approaches to supporting recovery.Trial registration numberISRCTN11152837


2007 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 623 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom J Meehan ◽  
Terry J Stedman ◽  
Ken E Neuendorf ◽  
Irene D Francisco ◽  
Malcolm G Neilson

Background: Benchmarking of performance indicators in the mental health field is gaining currency in Australia as a strategy for improving service quality. Aim: To engage mental health service providers in the collection and evaluation of performance data. Methods: Three separate rounds of data collection involving high secure, extended treatment, and medium secure services were carried out between 2003 and 2005. Twenty-five core indicators were identified and these were used to assess service inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes. Results: Differences in casemix, clinical practice and local business rules gave rise to variation in service performance. The benchmarking exercise led to the implementation of quality improvement initiatives. Conclusions: It is possible and useful to collect and evaluate performance data for mental health services. While services appear similar enough to benchmark, information related to both casemix and service characteristics needs to be included in benchmarking data to understand the factors that produce differences in service performance.


Author(s):  
Joe Behler ◽  
Allen Daniels ◽  
Jennifer Scott ◽  
Lewis Mehl-Madrona

Peer support services remain poorly understood by many mental health service providers. In this study we explored the views of people who use peer led support groups. We asked how adding peer support groups changed, balanced, or augmented the use of conventional mental health services. Participants were 43 adults attending 4 peer led support groups for depression/bipolar disorder. Data consisted of observations of all 43 participants interacting in their group, in-depth interviews of 20 participants, and results from 2 standardized questionnaires to ballpark the level of symptom severity relative to other groups. Through constant comparative analysis, 12 categories emerged. The most salient features of our findings consisted of the shared perception that groups promoted recovery and augmented conventional services. Members felt acceptance due to their shared diagnoses. Groups provided an experience of community in which recovery skills could be practiced, practical advice received, and hope and empowerment encouraged. Groups appeared to provide participants with important support and healing unavailable from psychotherapy and psychiatry. Peer support groups appeared to be an important addition and sometimes an adequate substitute for psychotherapy and/or psychiatry. Further research is indicated and quantitative students should build on the insights of qualitative studies in developing their protocols.


2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy A. Coduti ◽  
Melissa Manninen Luse

Individuals living in rural areas have similar prevalence rates of mental health conditions as individuals living in urban areas, yet face a number of challenges in accessing and receiving proper mental health services. For mental health service providers there are unique ethical challenges when working in rural areas. This paper will examine aspects of rural living, and ethical issues surrounding provision of mental health services. Implications for practice and research are assessed for rehabilitation counselors working in these settings.


2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 271-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynn Tang

Background: The recent interest in recovery from mental health problems has not meaningfully addressed the perspectives of ethnic minorities. Aim: To contribute to the discussion of recovery-oriented service with a study on the experience of Chinese people using UK mental health services. Methods: In-depth life history interviews were carried out with the users. The qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Four themes emerged as hindrances to personal recovery: (1) language difficulty creates hurdles, (2) diagnostic label is experienced as a double-edged sword, (3) treatment-related stigma and (dis)empowerment are identified, and (4) grievances are found in hospitalisation. Discussion: Having mental illness and being an ethnic minority in the UK experienced double hazard in their recovery journey. While the deprivation of agency and the stigma process in the health care system hinders their recovery, they are further disadvantaged by their ethnic minority status. Four pointers for service improvement, that apply to Chinese users in the United Kingdom and have general implications for users beyond this group, are proposed.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debarati Mukherjee ◽  
Nolita Dolcy ◽  
Daisy A John ◽  
Maithili Karthik ◽  
Swapnil A Gadhave ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Poor maternal mental health is a major public health concern since it adversely impacts both maternal and child health outcomes. This study aimed to document the barriers to utilizing perinatal mental health services in Karnataka, India, and to determine its relationship with risk factors of poor maternal mental health in this context. Methods: Qualitative research methods using in-depth interviews were conducted on twenty-one local stakeholders who represented health service providers in various capacities: mental health specialists (n = 4), gynaecologists (n = 2), government officials from the Department of Health and Family Welfare (n = 2), and Department of Women and Child Development (n = 2), senior state consultant to United Nations Children’s Fund (n = 1), and frontline workers (n = 10). Data were analysed using a thematic framework analysis approach. Results: We identified multiple barriers to service utilization operating at the levels of the health system, community, family, and the individual. Health-system level barriers included lack of a universal screening mechanism, poor infrastructure, poor training of frontline workers on mental health issues, and inadequate time for counselling and treatment. Community-level barriers included stigma and misconceptions, leading to a lack of social support. Family and individual level barriers included the financial burden of availing services, lack of family and partner support, and lack of empowerment and motivation in the woman to seek services. Family and individual level barriers interacted with risk factors of poor maternal mental health. Based on this evidence and drawing from the literature, we propose a contextualised, stepped-care model for universal screening, detection, referral, and treatment of women with perinatal mental health conditions for Karnataka that is integrated with the reproductive, maternal, and child health (RMNCH) program in primary care settings. Conclusions: The framework developed in this study suggests that addressing the identified barriers would potentially increase uptake of available services, create awareness about and demand for high-quality mental health services, reduce the risk factors of poor maternal mental health, and eventually improve our understanding of its true burden in the state of Karnataka. This is essential for proper implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of programs relevant to perinatal mental health.


2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 156-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Edwards ◽  
Rob Macpherson ◽  
Martin Commander ◽  
Alan Meaden ◽  
Sridevi Kalidindi

SummaryThis paper describes the need for commissioners and service providers to consider the development of a whole-system approach to providing rehabilitation services for patients with complex psychosis, in the context of the current economic pressures and emergence of a competitive market in this area of mental health. The practical and organisational arrangements for the management of risk with such services are described, taking into account the varying provision of rehabilitation services across the UK and considering how these can be developed against the care clustering system and interfaces with other mental health services.


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