The Relationship Between Opportunities to Discuss Spiritual Needs and Mental Health Recovery Outcomes

Addressing spiritual needs and interests of individuals with mental illness is important for their recovery. In this study we examined whether providing opportunities for psychiatric hospital residents to discuss spiritual needs and interests is associated with better individual recovery outcomes. A survey was conducted with residents of a state psychiatric hospital in Massachusetts. Two standardized scales were included in the survey questionnaire to collect data in a face-to-face interview: the Recovery Self-Assessment R measured the degree to which programs implement recovery-oriented practices, and the Recovery Assessment Scale measures five domains of recovery outcomes. Thirty-six adult patients completed the survey. Higher item scores of "opportunities to discuss spiritual needs and interests" were associated with higher recovery outcome scores, particularly on three subscale scores (reliance on others, ask for help, and goal and success orientation), even after controlling for sex, race, and education. Our findings provide the foundations for larger studies to fully examine the effects of spiritual care on mental health recovery and to identify possible underlying mechanisms. By doing so, spiritual care can augment the scarce resources devoted to the care and treatment of people with mental illness.