Introduction

Individuals diagnosed with mental illness have a need for recovery. No study to date has investigated empowerment and the other multiple factors associated with personal recovery among psychiatric nursing home residents.

Aim

The study aimed to identify the factors associated with personal recovery among psychiatric nursing home residents.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study with convenience sampling. Participants were recruited from a psychiatric nursing home in Northern Taiwan between April and June 2018. Data was collected through self-reported, structured questionnaires with verified reliability and validity. Descriptive and hierarchical regression analyses were performed. The present study followed the STROBE guidelines.

Results

The study included 158 participants. The factors associated with recovery according to bivariate associations were religious belief, psychotic symptoms, global function, social support, and empowerment. In the hierarchical regression, empowerment, social support, and global function were the main predictive factors of recovery, with the explained variation reaching 40.8%. Empowerment exhibited the highest predictive value for the recovery.

Implications for clinical practice

Strengthening empowerment in mental health nursing may contribute more to the personal recovery of psychiatric nursing home residents than improving global function or social support.