Recovery is up to you

1. Recovery is up to you The effects of a peer-run course on the recovery process of its participants (people with major psychiatric problems). Hanneke van Gestel-Timmermans Evelien Brouwers Marcel van Assen Chijs van Nieuwenhuizen

2. Background of the study • Good documentation of the course • Performed frequently and positive experiences • Small study: positive results • More research is necessary

3. The course • Developed in 1996 by professionals and clients • Course instructors : (ex)clients, participated in the course, training-on-the-job • Participants: major psychiatric problems, take more responsibility, able to share experiences and to participate • Excluded: illiteracy, suicidal, florid psychiatric • symptoms, addiction problems

4. Content of the course • 12 weekly meetings; one topic/ session • Topics: meaning of recovery and personal experiences, personal desires for the future, making choices and setting up goals, participation in society, roles in daily life, personal values, how to get social support, abilities and personal resources, empowerment and assertiveness • All sessions: same structure • Homework assignments • Every step in recovery is important

5. Goals of the study • Evaluating the effects of the course (RCT) • Evaluating the process / sessions (by checklists and interviews with participants and course instructors) Assessments took place before the course, after 3 and 6 months Interviews after 3 months; checklists after each session

6. Treatment condition or people in the course groups: 3 assessments 0 3 6 0 3 6 9 12 Control condition or people placed on the waiting list: 5 assessments RCT and assessments

7. Research question Do participants of the course have better scores on the recovery measures than those who are placed on the waiting list? Recovery was operationalised as: empowerment, hope, self-efficacy beliefs and quality of life Furthermore we measured scores on: coping, mental health, physical health, loneliness

8. Persons and parties involved • 13 mental health institutions/ client organisations • 38 course instructors (38 courses) • 333 participants (168 in course groups and 165 in • control condition) • projectteam • research committee • 10 client researchers (specially trained)

9. Learning from clients

10. Results of the study SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE EFFECT ON RECOVERY!! • Positive effects on empowerment, hope and self-efficacy beliefs (lasted for three months) • Evidence for weak effects on: quality of life, mental health and coping • No effects on: physical health, loneliness and avoidant coping

11. Explanation of main effects • More active approach to coping with psychiatric problems: • - Role model • Sharing experiences with peers • Structure of the course, elements of psycho-education • and illness management and the homework assignments • contribute to its effects

12. Results of interviews and checklists • Course intructors and participants were highly satisfied; good protocol adherence • Peers as course instructors, group process, course material important for recovery • Participants: intake and information Course instructors: guidance

13. Further research • Evidence based, but unknown which factors are responsible for the effects • Further research is necessary on peer-run services and with a longer follow-up

14. Implications of the study • The course fits well into today’s changing care for people with major psychiatric problems • Results can not be extrapolated to all clients in mental health care • Further implementing of this peer-run course in mental health care = opportunity for many patients

15. The peer-run course ‘Recovery is up to you’ has a positive effect on important elements of recovery: empowerment, hope and self-efficacy beliefs The course activates its participants Peers are important in a recovery-oriented care Contact: j.a.w.m.vangestel@uvt.nl Conclusion