Experiences Contributing to Personal Agency During Acute Psychiatric Hospitalization: A Qualitative Descriptive Study...

Personal agency, involving the gradual recovery of motivation and control, may offer an important perspective for understanding patients' experiences and informing practice in acute psychiatric settings. The current study explored the experiences that contribute to personal agency among individuals in the early stages of acute psychiatric hospitalization. The study was co-produced by individuals with lived experience who served as research collaborators. Four focus groups comprising 12 participants were interviewed (mean age = 45.4 years; mean illness duration = 22.3 years). All participants had experience of hospitalization in the past 10 years for acute psychiatric care. Diagnoses included schizophrenia, mood disorders, and developmental disorders. Descriptive qualitative analysis revealed five key experiences as contributing to the recovery of personal agency: "Being in a safe and understandable situation," "Maintaining a positive self-perception," "Having one's thoughts considered and being able to express them," "Maintaining a sense of oneself as an individual living in the community," and "Having opportunities to act on one's current abilities amidst challenges." These findings highlight key experiential elements that foster personal agency in acute settings. Supporting these elements may help improve clinical practice in acute psychiatric settings.