Beate Schrank

Modification and preliminary evaluation of an intervention to improve well-being in psychosis

Mike Slade

Andre Tylee

Developing a recovery orientation in mental health services is a policy goal in the UK and internationally. Recovery from severe mental illness involves, in addition to treating symptoms and deficiencies, a focus on developing a fulfilling and personally meaningful life. This implies an increased emphasis on personal strengths, positive identity development and the promotion of well-being. Personal well-being is not only a central component of recovery, empirical research also shows its association with improved functioning and resilience and suggests its protective value against the onset or re-occurrence of mental illness.

The promotion of well-being has been a focus of the academic discipline of positive psychology. In this tradition the attention of psychotherapy was shifted away from only repairing the negatives towards an approach directly building positive emotions, character strengths and meaning. One specific method is “Positive Psychotherapy”, which has proved effective in promoting well-being and ameliorating depression in people with common mental disorders. “Positive Psychotherapy” seems to be a promising approach to also increase well-being in people with severe mental illness, such as psychosis, and hence support their recovery. However, to date neither a theoretical model nor empirical evidence exists for the application for “Positive Psychotherapy” in this client group.

The proposed project aims to test Positive Psychotherapy in a group format with people with a diagnosis of psychosis. The objectives are:
(a) To develop a theory-based and testable model of Positive Psychotherapy for psychosis
(b) To manualise Positive Psychotherapy for psychosis by developing and evaluating an intervention manual
(c) To establish trial parameters through a pilot study.

A phased approach according to the established MRC Framework for Evaluating Complex Health Interventions, including theory development, model building and validation, and an exploratory trial, will be employed to reach the above aims.

This project will adapt and evaluate a promising intervention to improve well-being for the first time for people with psychosis. It will provide the basis for both practical service improvement and empirical evaluation of the intervention in a definitive RCT.

1st July 2011 ongoing

Email Beate Schrank