Research Article
Issue Date: July/August 2020
Published Online: June 11, 2020
Updated: June 22, 2020
Recovery Programs for People With Mental Illness in Taiwan: A Feasibility Study
Yen-Ching Chang; Ming-De Chen; Susan A. Pickett; Po See Chen; Wen-Chen Su
Author Affiliations
  • Yen-Ching Chang, PhD, OT, is Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
  • Ming-De Chen, PhD, OT, is Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, and Adjunct Research Fellow, Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
  • Susan A. Pickett, PhD, is Deputy Director, Center for Research and Evaluation, Advocates for Human Potential, Inc., Chicago.
  • Po See Chen, MD, PhD, is Director, Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, and Professor, Institute of Behavioral Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
  • Wen-Chen Su, OT, is Occupational Therapist, Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; kigiest@gmail.com
Article Information
Education of OTs and OTAs / Mental Health / Research Articles
Research Article   |   June 11, 2020
Recovery Programs for People With Mental Illness in Taiwan: A Feasibility Study
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, June 2020, Vol. 74, 7404205110. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.038513
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, June 2020, Vol. 74, 7404205110. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.038513
Abstract

Importance: Most recovery programs have been developed in Western countries. This study explores the cultural adaptation of a recovery program to a non-Western country.

Objective: To test the feasibility of a recovery group developed for people with mental illness in Taiwan.

Design: Mixed-methods feasibility study.

Setting: Community psychiatric rehabilitation center in southern Taiwan.

Participants: Twenty-four people with mental illness living in the community.

Intervention: The authors designed a recovery group based on the Pathways to Recovery program and the mental health recovery literature. The curriculum included two phases: recovery profile and recovery plan. The group gathered for a 1-hr session once a week for 18 wk.

Outcomes and Measures: Outcomes were assessed preintervention, mid-intervention, and postintervention. Data collected included Stages of Recovery Scale (SRS) scores, course assessments, and course discussions.

Results: Most participants were satisfied with the recovery program and its implementation. Scores on the Social Functioning/Role Performance subscale of the SRS showed a medium to large effect size (r = .36) for the Recovery Stage 1–3 subsample (n = 16).

Conclusion and Relevance: This study affirmed the feasibility of a recovery group for people with mental illness in Taiwan. Prospective randomized controlled trials should be used to verify recovery groups’ effectiveness.

What This Article Adds: Recovery programs tailored to people with mental illness in non-Western countries may need more examples and longer sessions to enable participants to fully understand and implement the concepts of recovery.