Positive mental health interventions for people with schizophrenia: A scoping review

Promoting positive mental health is crucial for maintaining a healthy balance of mental well-being, both for individuals with and without mental health conditions, including schizophrenia.

To map interventions that promote positive mental health in individuals with schizophrenia.

We conducted a scoping review following Joanna Briggs Institute recommendations. Searches were performed on Scopus, MEDLINE and CINAHL Complete (via EBSCOhost), and RCAAP for grey literature. Papers that met the following criteria were included: published from September 1999 to May 2023; involving only individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia; focused on interventions that promote positive mental health; presenting interventions with defined objectives and duration; designed for individuals or groups.

We identified 1111 potentially relevant records, which were screened by 2 independent researchers. 26 studies, published between 2004 and 2023 were found eligible. Most of the identified interventions were implemented in community-based settings (n = 22), in group formats (n = 20), with a total duration between 4 and 12 weeks (n = 20), session duration about 45-60 min (n = 13) and without follow up (n = 17). A significant number of interventions focused on improving interpersonal relationship capacity (n = 15) and personal satisfaction (n = 13). 9 interventions focused on enhancing autonomy, 3 on promoting self-control, 2 on problem-solving/self-actualization and 1 on promoting pro-social attitude.

This scoping review can contribute to improving the quality of care provided and optimizing health outcomes, enhancing the promotion of community health through increased knowledge in the field of positive mental health.