The role of symptom distress and goal attainment in promoting aspects of psychological recovery for consumers with enduring mental illness

Abstract

Background: Conceptualizations of recovery involve more than just symptom amelioration and include the development of hope, meaning and self-identity. Goal attainment increases wellbeing within non-clinical samples and mental health consumers report its facilitative value for psychological recovery. There is a lack of empirical data regarding the impact of goal progress/attainment on mental health outcome for consumers with enduring mental illness.Aims: (i) To examine whether baseline measures of symptoms, functioning and recovery are associated with greater goal progress, and (ii) to examine the impact of goal attainment on improvements in mental health outcome.Method: Seventy-one consumers with enduring mental illness who were receiving case-management support from mental health services in eastern Australia participated in the study. Level of attainment for case-management goals was examined against mental health outcome measures for the corresponding goal-setting period.Results: Path modelling indicated that goal attainment mediated the relationship between baseline (pre-goal setting) levels of symptom distress and progress on recovery constructs; hope, self-confidence, sense of purpose and positive identity.Conclusions: When symptoms are perceived as less distressing consumers are better able to progress toward their case-management goals, which in turn promotes aspects of psychological recovery.