A Qualitative Study of the Subjective Appraisal of Recovery Among People with Lived Experience of Schizophrenia in Poland

The objective of this study was to explore definitions of recovery among Polish service users with lived experience of schizophrenia and to hear their recommendations regarding elements that should be considered in the planning of a recovery oriented psychosocial intervention. Four semi-structured focus groups were conducted in the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw, Poland. A total of 28 service users’ narratives were examined using the inductive thematic analysis approach. Five main recovery themes emerged from the combined users accounts, listed in order of frequency: psychological dimension of recovery, relationships with others, wellness strategies, clinical understanding of recovery and support systems. Service user recommendations referred to the above identified recovery themes as well as indications that the intervention should be flexible, individualized, and facilitative of personal growth. The findings indicate that for service users with lived experience of schizophrenia in Poland it is culturally feasible to embrace the person-oriented approach to practice and develop a recovery-oriented psychosocial intervention emphasizing psychological domains of recovery such as positive identity, personal strengths, or meaning and purpose in life alongside the other relevant recovery dimensions. Actions regarding the system level of change are also required.