Correlates of insider and outsider conceptualizations of recovery

OBJECTIVE: The concept of recovery can be based on the self report of the individual experiencing the phenomenon ("insider" perspective) or objectively measured by clinicians and researchers ("outsider perspective"). The purpose of this study was to examine the relations among insider (hope and empowerment) and outsider (symptoms and cognition) variables of recovery. METHODS: 66 individuals with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression were administered the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, a battery of cognitive measures, The Hope Scale and The Empowerment Scale. RESULTS: For symptoms, depression and anxiety had the strongest relationships with hope and empowerment. Cognition was associated with a subset of activist oriented empowerment subscales. There were strong relationships among the hope and empowerment measures but few relationships among symptoms and cognition. CONCLUSIONS: Relationships exist between insider and outsider conceptualizations of recovery in that symptoms and cognition are associated with some aspects of hope and empowerment.