Using a digital personal recovery resource in routine mental health practice: feasibility, acceptability and outcomes

Digital technologies enable the dissemination of multimedia resources to support adults with serious mental illness in their self-management and personal recovery. However, delivery needs to accommodate engagement and accessibility challenges.

We examined how a digital resource, designed for mental health workers and consumers to use together in session, would be used in routine practice.

Thirty consumers and their workers participated. The web-based resource, Self-Management And Recovery Technology (SMART), was available to use within and between sessions, for a 6-month period. Workers initiated in-session use where relevant. Feasibility was explored via uptake and usage data; and acceptability and impact via questionnaires. A pre-post design assessed recovery outcomes for consumers and relationship outcomes for consumers and workers.

In participating mental health practitioner-consumer dyads, consumers gave strong acceptability ratings, and reported improved working relationships. However, the resource was typically used in one-third or fewer appointments, with consumers expressing a desire for greater in-session use. Improvements in self-rated personal recovery were not observed, possibly contributed to by low usage.

In-session use was found helpful by consumers but may be constrained by other demands in mental health care delivery: collaborative use may require dedicated staff time or more formal implementation.