Understanding Universal Elements in Mental Health Recovery

Abstract

In our study, we examined underlying human elements embedded in mental health recovery, by exploring shared positive change among peer providers with serious mental illnesses in recovery and a normative sample in spiritual growth following adversity. We conducted secondary analysis based on two independent qualitative study samples consisting of 31 American peer providers and 27 Israeli adults. We identified three shared and two distinct enablers of positive change: peer groups, significant mentor, self-transcendent experiences. Distinct enablers were having meaningful task/role (clinical sample) and deliberate choice to commit to change in face of uncertainty (non-clinical sample). Enablers facilitated positive processes of meaning making and enhancement of agency. Enablers provided opportunities to which the person responded and made use of--thus, enacting a positive reinforcement of change processes. The findings highlight the value of examining mental health recovery in a broad holistic perspective and have implications for practice.

Supported Decision-Making: The Expectations Held by People With Experience of Mental Illness

“…Lofgren, Hewitt, and das Nair (2015) suggest that clinicians need to be mindful of the impact of their language on people experiencing mental distress. Moreover, positive interpersonal encounters in health care settings, as Moran and Russo-Netzer (2016) argue, can enhance agency and meaning-making, thereby facilitating service users’ personal recovery. The recognition that people may view decision-making in different ways, and that their preferences may change over time, enables a more nuanced approach to practice, which might facilitate more positive and empathetic clinician and service user interactions.…”

Conducting secondary analysis of qualitative data: Should we, can we, and how?

“…Other articles asserted that the research questions explored through SDA were “a good fit” with those of the parent study, and therefore increased the trustworthiness of findings. Only a few studies reported that steps were taken in SDA to analyze data with a lens that was not influenced by the researchers’ involvement with the parent study, such as using clean, uncoded transcripts from parent study (see Williams and Collins, 2002) or purposefully reading transcripts with new perspective (see Moran and Russo-Netzer, 2016). Some articles reported that a strength in the SDA was that the researchers involved were very familiar with the parent study methodology and data.…”

Struggling With Reciprocity and Compassion: Mentoring Pregnant and Parenting Mothers Experiencing Vulnerability

“…In our study, setting up success included reconnecting with faith and spiritual beliefs. Recovery and spiritual change were linked in a study of mental health recovery and peer mentorship providers (Moran & Russo-Netzer, 2016), with opportunities for meaningful positive change occurring through reciprocal interactions between peer providers and mentees.…”