Recovery Programs for People With Mental Illness in Taiwan: A Feasibility Study

Most recovery programs have been developed in Western countries. This study explores the cultural adaptation of a recovery program to a non-Western country. To test the feasibility of a recovery group developed for people with mental illness in Taiwan. Mixed-methods feasibility study. Community psychiatric rehabilitation center in southern Taiwan. Twenty-four people with mental illness living in the community. The authors designed a recovery group based on the Pathways to Recovery program and the mental health recovery literature. The curriculum included two phases: recovery profile and recovery plan. The group gathered for a 1-hr session once a week for 18 wk. Outcomes were assessed preintervention, mid-intervention, and postintervention. Data collected included Stages of Recovery Scale (SRS) scores, course assessments, and course discussions. Most participants were satisfied with the recovery program and its implementation. Scores on the Social Functioning/Role Performance subscale of the SRS showed a medium to large effect size (r = .36) for the Recovery Stage 1-3 subsample (n = 16). This study affirmed the feasibility of a recovery group for people with mental illness in Taiwan. Prospective randomized controlled trials should be used to verify recovery groups' effectiveness. Recovery programs tailored to people with mental illness in non-Western countries may need more examples and longer sessions to enable participants to fully understand and implement the concepts of recovery.