A Literature Review of the Scales Regarding Recovery for People with Mental Illness

Abstract

Purpose: The present study aims to clarify findings about the features of the recovery-assessment scales obtained by a literature review, and to consider research challenges in Japan.Method: A literature review covering the period from 1995 to 2008 was carried out using electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL), by searching the following key words; recovery, scale, and mental illness. Twenty eight English-language papers including cited literature about recovery-assessment scales or about research using these scales were reviewed.Results: The scales were classified into four types as follows: 1. to assess consumer's recovery by serial score, 2. to assess consumer's recovery by stage, 3. to assess one's orientation for, attitude toward, or knowledge about recovery, and 4. to assess recovery-oriented programs or recovery-promoting environments. And these wide-ranging scales have been used for various recovery-oriented programs.Conclusion: Further studies in Japan were suggested to develop a Japanese-language recovery-assessment scale that can adequately measure the recovery of Japanese culture.