Faculty Collaboration Database

A psychometric study of recovery among Certified Peer Specialists. Psychiatry Res 2013 Oct 30;209(3):721-31

Date

02/14/2013

Pubmed ID

23403294

DOI

10.1016/j.psychres.2013.01.011

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84885480442 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   16 Citations

Abstract

The recovery model is wielding a welcome influence in the mental healthcare system. Despite its potential impact, systematic studies of the recovery construct as viewed by consumers and former consumers of mental health services have only recently begun to permeate the literature. We have embarked on an ongoing collaboration with the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network to study the recovery experiences of Certified Peer Specialists (CPSs). As a first step, we evaluated the psychometric characteristics of a new measure of the recovery construct in CPSs. CPSs (N=84) enrolled in the GMHCN completed the Maryland Assessment of Recovery in Serious Mental Illness (MARS) along with measures of resilience, coping styles, community living, social support, internalized stigma, psychopathology, and personality. Recovery as measured by the MARS was associated with resilience, coping behaviors, quality of social support, community living, internalized stigma, and severity of psychopathology. Recovery did not demonstrate a statistically significant association with personality. Recovery appeared to mediate the effect of psychopathology and episodic stressors on community functioning. Our psychometric study supports the psychometric soundness of the MARS and the construct validity of recovery.

Author List

Ahmed AO, Birgenheir D, Buckley PF, Mabe PA

Author

Denis Birgenheir PhD Assistant Professor in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adaptation, Psychological
Aged
Female
Humans
Male
Maryland
Mental Disorders
Mental Health Services
Middle Aged
Peer Group
Psychometrics
Recovery of Function
Reproducibility of Results
Social Stigma
Social Support
Specialization