How do recorded mental health recovery narratives create connection and improve hopefulness?. (4th March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ng, Fiona; Newby, Christopher; Robinson, Clare; Llewellyn-Beardsley, Joy; Yeo, Caroline; Roe, James; Rennick-Egglestone, Stefan; Smith, Roger; Booth, Susie; Bailey, Sylvia; Castelein, Stynke; Callard, Felicity; Arbour, Simone; Slade, Mike
• Is Part Of: Journal of mental health. Volume 31:Number 2(2022)
• Page Start: 273
• Page End: 280
• Publication Date: 2022-03-04
• Subjects: Mental health recovery -- narratives -- predictors -- connection -- hope; Mental health -- Periodicals; Mental health services -- Periodicals; 362.2
• DOI: 10.1080/09638237.2021.2022627
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0963-8237

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Mental health recovery narratives are an active ingredient of recovery-oriented interventions such as peer support. Recovery narratives can create connection and hope, but there is limited evidence on the predictors of impact. Aims: The aim of this study was to identify characteristics of the narrator, narrative content and participant which predict the short-term impact of recovery narratives on participants. Method: Independent studies were conducted in an experimental ( n = 40) and a clinical setting ( n = 13). In both studies, participants with mental health problems received recorded recovery narratives and rated impact on hopefulness and connection. Predictive characteristics were identified using multi-level modelling. Results: The experimental study found that narratives portraying a narrator as living well with mental health problems that is intermediate between no and full recovery, generated higher self-rated levels of hopefulness. Participants from ethnic minority backgrounds had lower levels of connection with narrators compared to participants from a white background, potentially due to reduced visibility of a narrator's diversity characteristics. Conclusions: Narratives describing partial but not complete recovery and matching on ethnicity may lead to a higher impact. Having access to narratives portraying a range of narrator characteristics to maximise the possibility of a beneficial impact on connection and hopefulness.