Recovery, empowerment and rehabilitation: Do inpatient psychiatric rehabilitation services empower the individual?

Perceptions of the course and outcome from serious mental illness have changed over the last century and, more recently, the concept of recovery has gained prominence in this field. This paper reviews recent literature on recovery from serious mental illness and discusses both the meaning of the concept and the key contributing factors. Research suggests that empowerment is one of the most salient factors contributing to recovery and the relationship between recovery and empowerment is examined. Most research in the area of empowerment has, to date, focused on community settings and this paper considers the relevance of these ideas in other mental health settings. The relationship between empowerment, recovery and mental health services is discussed. Finally, conclusions are drawn and recommendations for further research are outlined