Factors, process and outcomes of recovery from psychiatric disability: the unity model

Despite the fruitful findings on related issues of recovery in the West, some researchers have called for more studies on the factors that facilitate recovery and international literature on recovery to be made available. Moreover, to date, a united model that integrates outcome, component process and contextual factors of recovery has not yet been developed. Thus, this study explored the recovery experiences of persons with psychiatric disabilities (hereinafter called consumers) in Taiwan and extracted the key facilitators for developing a preliminary unity theory of recovery.

In-depth qualitative interviews of 15 consumers in recovery and their caregivers were held. Over a research period of two years, consumers were interviewed twice. The dialogue of each interview was transcribed into text and a narrative summary of the storyline for each participant was also prepared.

For most consumers, the journey of recovery was an incremental process of progress, yet few of them mentioned a turning point and its significant change on their life. Regaining social roles seemed to be a necessary but not sufficient outcome indicator for recovery. While symptom remission, mental strength and parental support were the cornerstones for recovery, the treatment model and professionals got the credit for it too.

The recovery process occurs within a complex context of various stages and multi-facilitators. The forces of three cornerstones, essential components and contextual facilitators all influx into the river of recovery and emerge as one united mechanism that supports the consumer's spiral progress through the journey of striving for autonomy.