A cross-sectional study of recovery training and staff attitudes in four community mental health centers

Abstract

Objective: Recovery has become a concept often incorporated in mental health staff trainings. However, little research has investigated the influence of training on recovery attitudes. The current study examined whether recovery-related trainings in community mental health centers is associated with differences in staff attitudes and reported organizational practices.

Methods: A total of 318 staff members at four community mental health centers completed questionnaires about their recovery attitudes and trainings they had received in the past year.

Results: Compared to staff who had no recovery-related training in the past year, staff who had at least one recovery-related training reported significantly higher consumer optimism and a greater agency recovery orientation towards consumers' life goals. The number of recovery-related trainings was significantly correlated with scores on personal optimism, consumer optimism, and agency recovery orientation towards consumers' life goals.

Conclusions and implications for practice: The findings suggest recovery training is positively related to staff recovery attitudes and agency practices. Community mental health centers may benefit from a systematic approach to recovery training. Further research is needed to determine directionality of these relationships and to parse the mechanisms of action.