What does recovery mean to Jordanian mental health service users and their families? A descriptive qualitative study

The concept of recovery in mental health has been extensively documented in the Western context. Yet, little is known about this concept in the Arab context, particularly in Jordan.

The aim of this study was to explore the conceptuality of recovery in mental health from the perspectives of both Jordanian service users and their families.

A qualitative descriptive design was used, and semi structured interviews were conducted with 16 service users and 16 family members, selected from three different mental health sectors in Jordan: Government, Military and University Sectors. The data were transcribed verbatim, translated into English, and then analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis approach.

Three main themes were identified as a result of the qualitative data analysis: (1) the definition of recovery implies functional recovery, (2) the definition of recovery implies symptomatic recovery, and (3) the definition of recovery from a religious perspective.

The findings of the present study shed light on how recovery in mental health is perceived by service users and their families in the Jordanian context, and they generate insight into what to consider when targeting the development and implementation of recovery-supporting care within the mental health services (MHSs) in Jordan.