The Illness Management and Recovery program: rationale, development, and preliminary findings

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Mental Health Services Research

Background:

• The Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) program was developed to teach self-management strategies for severe mental illnesses.
• The program aims to improve client outcomes through a structured resource kit for wider dissemination.
• Empirical validation of the IMR program is lacking despite its increasing use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and theoretical basis of the IMR program.
• To present pilot data on the effectiveness of IMR in the United States and Australia.
• To assess participant satisfaction and treatment outcomes over 9 months and a 3-month follow-up.

Main Methods:

• Development of the IMR program based on a review of self-management research.
• Pilot study involving 24 participants (88% schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder).
• Evaluation of individual-based and group-based IMR treatment over 9 months with a 3-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• Participants reported high satisfaction with the IMR program.
• Significant improvements were observed in self-reported symptom coping effectiveness.
• Clinicians reported enhanced global functioning, with moderate gains in knowledge, distress reduction, hope, and goal orientation.

Conclusions:

• The IMR program demonstrates feasibility and potential benefits for individuals with severe mental illnesses.
• Pilot findings support the program's promise in enhancing self-management and recovery.
• Controlled research is necessary to rigorously evaluate the IMR program's efficacy.