Reviewing Illness Self-Management Programs: A Selection Guide for Consumers, Practitioners, and Administrators

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Behavioral Health
• Health Services Research
• Patient Education and Self-Management

Background:

• Illness self-management (ISM) programs are crucial for adults with serious mental illness (SMI) to foster recovery and independence.
• Several popular ISM programs exist, each with unique structures, teaching methods, and recovery orientations.
• Selecting the most appropriate ISM program requires a comprehensive evaluation beyond empirical evidence alone.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe five prominent Illness self-management programs for adults with SMI.
• To provide a framework for evaluating and selecting ISM programs based on contextual domains and empirical evidence.
• To guide administrators, practitioners, and consumers in choosing the best-fit ISM program.

Main Methods:

• Described five popular ISM programs: Pathways to Recovery, The Recovery Workbook, Building Recovery of Individual Dreams and Goals through Education and Support, Wellness and Recovery Action Planning, and Illness Management and Recovery.
• Developed a framework encompassing four contextual domains: structure, value orientation toward recovery, methods of teaching, and educational content.
• Searched PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Reviews for empirical evidence on program effectiveness and strength of evidence.

Main Results:

• Evidence of program effectiveness ranged from low to moderate across the evaluated ISM programs.
• Contextual domains, including program length, resources, support, language, teaching style, and consumer-driven focus, differentiate the programs.
• Empirical evidence alone is insufficient for optimal program selection.

Conclusions:

• Contextual domains provide essential guidance for matching ISM program features with the specific goals of consumers, practitioners, and administrators.
• A holistic evaluation approach, integrating empirical data with contextual factors, is recommended for selecting effective ISM programs for serious mental illness.
• Tailoring program selection to individual needs enhances self-directed recovery and promotes greater independence.