Enhancing cross-cultural applicability in recovery colleges: A global Delphi study protocol

Area of Science:

• Mental Health Services Research
• Cross-Cultural Psychology
• Adult Education

Background:

• Recovery Colleges (RCs) offer a unique model for mental health support, blending co-production and adult learning for recovery and social inclusion.
• Existing RC research and practice are predominantly Western, posing challenges for cross-cultural applicability.
• The RECOLLECT Change Model (RCM) and RECOLLECT Fidelity Measure (RFM) require adaptation for diverse cultural contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the extent of cultural influence on RCM mechanisms and RFM items.
• To develop recommendations for enhancing the cross-cultural applicability of RCM and RFM.

Main Methods:

• A global Delphi study employing Belton's six-step methodology and a decentring approach.
• Recruitment of approximately 100 experts across 31 countries via the RECOLLECT International Research Consortium.
• Iterative data collection using Microsoft Forms, analyzing item importance, cultural difficulty, and qualitative feedback using descriptive content analysis informed by Hofstede's cultural dimension theory.

Main Results:

• Identification of RCM and RFM components that are universally applicable versus those needing cultural adjustment.
• Analysis of quantitative data using non-parametric statistics and qualitative data using descriptive content analysis.
• Assessment of cross-cultural response bias and trustworthiness through member checking.

Conclusions:

• The study will provide a balance between fidelity and cultural fit for mental health approaches.
• Culturally informed recommendations will be developed to increase the accessibility and relevance of RC frameworks globally.
• Findings will support practitioners, researchers, and policymakers in improving culturally meaningful mental health service delivery and recovery outcomes.