Is personal recovery a transdiagnostic concept? Testing the fit of the CHIME framework using narrative experiences

Lases, Mitch N.; Bruins, Jojanneke; Scheepers, Floortje E.; van Sambeek, Nienke; Ng, Fiona; Rennick-Egglestone, Stefan; Slade, Mike; van Balkom, Ingrid D.C.; Castelein, Stynke

Abstract

Background
Personal recovery is operationalized in the CHIME framework (connectedness, hope, identity, meaning in life, and empowerment) of recovery processes. CHIME was initially developed through analysis of experiences of people mainly with psychosis, but it might also be valid for investigating recovery in mood-related, autism and other diagnoses.

Aims
To examine whether personal recovery is transdiagnostic by studying narrative experiences in several diagnostic groups.

Methods
Thirty recovery narratives, retrieved from “Psychiatry Story Bank” (PSB) in the Netherlands, were analyzed by three coders using CHIME as a deductive framework. New codes were assigned using an inductive approach and member checks were performed after consensus was reached.

Results
All five CHIME dimensions were richly reported in the narratives, independent of diagnosis. Seven new domains were identified, such as “acknowledgement by diagnosis” and “gaining self-insight”. These new domains were evaluated to fit well as subdomains within the original CHIME framework. On average, 54.2% of all narrative content was classified as experienced difficulties.

Conclusions
Recovery stories from different diagnostic perspectives fit well into the CHIME framework, implying that personal recovery is a transdiagnostic concept. Difficulties should not be ignored in the context of personal recovery based on its substantial presence in the recovery narratives.

Citation

Lases, M. N., Bruins, J., Scheepers, F. E., van Sambeek, N., Ng, F., Rennick-Egglestone, S., Slade, M., van Balkom, I. D., & Castelein, S. (2024). Is personal recovery a transdiagnostic concept? Testing the fit of the CHIME framework using narrative experiences. Journal of Mental Health, https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2024.2361225

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 23, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Jun 30, 2024
• Publication Date: Jun 30, 2024
• Deposit Date: Apr 4, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 1, 2025
• Journal: Journal of Mental Health
• Print ISSN: 0963-8237
• Electronic ISSN: 1360-0567
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2024.2361225
• Keywords: Autism; stories; psychosis; severe mental illness; rehabilitation; Recovery
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/33290800
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09638237.2024.2361225
• Additional Information: Peer Review Statement: The publishing and review policy for this title is described in its Aims & Scope.; Aim & Scope: http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=ijmh20; Received: 2023-06-27; Accepted: 2024-03-23; Published: 2024-06-30