Support for Recovery in Mental Health: A Delphi Study From the Family's Perspective

Abstract

Mental health services are increasingly adopting a recovery-oriented approach that prioritises human rights and user empowerment. In this evolving landscape, family members, who are often the primary support network for mental health service users, face unique challenges in assisting a person's recovery. This study aims to establish an international consensus on supportive actions for the recovery process and to identify key facilitators and obstacles to providing support from the perspective of families of mental health service users. Methodological rigour was ensured by following the CREDES checklist. A total of 53 family caregivers from around the world agreed to participate in a three-round e-Delphi study. Consensus was reached on 47 statements detailing supportive actions, among which an awareness of the user's needs was considered the most important. The study also identified 42 facilitators of providing support, with openness to learning and trusting the user being the most significant. A total of 23 obstacles were also acknowledged, with the major barrier being the emotional or physical absence of the caregiver. These results highlight the multifaceted nature of support and the critical role families play in a person's recovery journey. The findings also underscore the need for training programmes based on these consensus statements so as to empower families to provide more effective and person-centred support.