Hope and meaning in life are essential components of personal growth and happiness. Built on the recovery model, this study attempted to evaluate the effects of a recovery-oriented cognitive–behavior approach (CBA) in enhancing hope and meaning in life among a group of people with severe mental illness in Hong Kong.
Method:
A matched-pair comparison approach was adopted. Twenty-seven experimental group participants received recovery-oriented CBA, while 25 participants received standard counseling services. Assessments were administered at preintervention and at 6 and 12 months of intervention.
Results:
Repeated measures analyses of covariance indicated that the recovery-oriented CBA was more effective than the control condition in improving the mental health recovery process (basic functioning, finding new potentials, and spirituality) and a sense of hope (planning in achieving goals).
Conclusion:
Given these initial positive results, more vigorous studies and refinement of this recovery-oriented CBA are needed to ascertain the effectiveness of this combined intervention approach.
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