Advancing the Science of Recovery: The Utility of the Recovery Assessment Scale in the Prediction of Self-Directed Health and Wellness Outcomes in Adults with a Diagnosis of a Serious Mental Illness

Adults with serious mental illness commonly experience comorbid chronic physical conditions and experience a reduced life expectancy of 10-25 years compared to the general population (Saha et al. in Arch Gen Psychiatry 64(10):1123–31. 2007 ; Hayes et al. in Acta Psychiatr Scand 131(6):417–25. 2015 ; Walker et al. in JAMA Psychiatry 72(4):334–41. 2015 ). Dimensions of personal recovery may have real-world implications that extend beyond functional and mental health outcomes to impact the self-directed health and wellness of adults with serious mental illness. This study examined the predictive utility of the Recovery Assessment Scale with respect to medical self-efficacy, self-management, psychiatric symptoms, and community functioning for adults with serious mental illness. Data were derived from a secondary analysis of baseline and 10-month data collected from a randomized control trial with adults aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, or major depressive disorder ( N =56). A linear regression was conducted to examine the predictive value of total baseline RAS scores on self-efficacy at 10 months while controlling for study group. This model significantly predicted self-efficacy ( F (2, 53) = 13.28, p < .001) and accounted for 36.1% of the variance. Total baseline RAS scores significantly predicted self-efficacy ( β = 059, p < .001); specifically, higher baseline RAS scores were associated with greater self-efficacy. A greater degree of recovery may facilitate greater medical self-efficacy in managing chronic disease in people diagnosed with a serious mental illness. Future intervention approaches may consider recovery-focused therapeutic targets such as peer support to promote self-efficacy to manage chronic diseases in people with serious mental illness.