Self-Efficacy as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Social Support and Recovery in Serious Mental Illness

Objective: The purposes of this research were to assess relationships between social support and objective and subjective recovery inn sample of adults with serious mental illness and to examine self-efficacy as a potential mediator of these relationships. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a sample of 250 individuals completed measures tapping social support network size, satisfaction with social support, perceived support from the mental health system, self-efficacy, objective recovery (i.e., psychiatric symptoms, social functioning), and subjective recovery. Pearson product moment correlations and multiple linear regression analyses examined relationships among social support, self-efficacy, and recovery. A bootstrapping procedure was used to estimate the magnitude and significance of indirect effects in mediation analyses. Results: All social support domains (i.e., social support network size, satisfaction with support, perceived support from the mental health system) were significantly related to at least 1 objective recovery outcome and to subjective recovery. Self-efficacy was a mediator of all relationships between social support and objective and subjective recovery. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: The present study aids in better understanding the relationship between social support and recovery in individuals with serious mental illness and paves the way for future research. Particularly relevant to mental health service providers, it highlights the importance of establishing and maintaining an effective therapeutic relationship as well as assisting consumers with developing supportive relationships with others.