Effective provider communication for personal agency in mental health recovery: A cross‐sectional study on Japanese users' perspectives
Authors: Okumura Satoshi , Katsuki Fujika 
Published: June 2024

Accessible summary

What is known on the subject?

Recovery‐oriented practices in community‐based mental health services are of increasing importance. The recovery journey of individuals with mental illness starts with a sense of agency, and a therapeutic relationship with the providers who support them is a prerequisite.

In Japan, the construction of community‐based integrated care systems for individuals with mental illness is positioned as a priority health issue, with communication with familiar individuals being particularly important for recovery in Japanese and Asian cultures.

What the paper adds to existing knowledge?

This study is the first to examine effective communication factors for personal agency in the recovery of individuals with mental illness, focusing on addressing uncertainty about treatment choices and dissatisfaction with decision‐making, and considering the user's personal recovery journey.

In recovery‐oriented practice, it is important to prioritize addressing the emotional aspects of decision‐making alongside the mental illness condition, supporting users' self‐determination in their unique recovery journeys.

What are the implications for practice?

The findings emphasized the need to actively engage with users' perspectives and emotions, emphasize shared life planning, and foster a therapeutic relationship based on partnership. Providers should approach dialogue as carefully as medication prescriptions, prioritizing the establishment of an effective therapeutic relationship with the user.

These characteristics are essential for developing a strong therapeutic relationship and effectively facilitating users' recovery. The findings are applicable not only to nurses but to all mental health service providers, contributing to the advancement of recovery‐oriented practice.

Introduction

Recovery‐oriented practice in community‐based mental health services is crucial for individuals with mental illness, with communication with familiar individuals being important for recovery in Japanese and Asian cultures.

Aim

This study aimed to examine effective communication factors for personal agency in recovery by investigating the association between perceived support provided through communication and personal agency of individuals with mental illness.

Method

A cross‐sectional study was conducted among community‐dwelling Japanese mental health service users, assessing subjective agency, decisional conflict, staff support for personal recovery, activation for mental health self‐management, demographic variables and living difficulties. Multiple linear regression analysis identified factors predicting subjective agency, revealing characteristics of effective provider communication for recovery.

Results

Data from 222 users were analysed, revealing negative correlations between uncertainty about treatment choices and ineffective decision‐making with higher subjective agency, while staff support for personal recovery positively correlated with higher subjective agency.

Discussion

In recovery‐oriented practice, prioritizing users' emotional experiences during decision‐making and supporting their self‐determination in their unique recovery journeys is crucial.

Implications for Practice

Providers should approach dialogue as carefully as medication prescriptions, prioritizing therapeutic partnerships with users. The findings extend beyond nursing to all mental health service providers, advancing the theory of recovery‐oriented practice.