Leadership education - Evaluation of a program to promote recovery in persons with psychiatric disabilities

The concept of recovery for individuals with psychiatric disabilities is an emerging paradigm that has important implications for understanding and treating persons with psychiatric disability The current study evaluated the effects of a 16-week psychoeducational program designed to promote the recovery process within the context of preparing persons with psychiatric disabilities for participation on community agency boards. The program was evaluated by employing both experimental and wait-list control groups, and by conducting pre-, post-, and six month follow-up outcome assessments. Results indicated that participation in the program was associated with significant improvement across a variety of psychometric measures assessing recovery processes. Results also suggest that changes in feelings of self-efficacy, empowerment and self-esteem are more stable indicators of recovery than psychiatric symptomatology.