Systematic review and citation content analysis of the CHIME framework for mental health recovery processes: recommendations for developing influential conceptual frameworks

OBJECTIVES: To identify design features of the CHIME conceptual framework of mental health recovery which are associated with high rates of citation. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Systematic review of all citations of the Connectedness, Hope, Identity, Meaning, and Empowerment (CHIME) framework of mental health recovery. Papers citing CHIME were screened and extracted from three citation databases. Citation content analysis was used to investigate associations between nine CHIME design features. Citations were investigated across six forms of visibility: all citations; Anglophone vs non-Anglophone; academic vs non-academic; academic discipline; professional group; and clinical population. RESULTS: There were 915 eligible documents identified. Six CHIME framework design features met predefined thresholds for high levels of influence: (i) using a systematic review methodology for development, (ii) adopting a memorable acronym, (iii) having disaggregable components, and being unaligned to a (iv) particular discipline (i.e., transdisciplinary), (v) professional group, or (vi) diagnostic population. Documents from Anglophone countries were more likely to cite CHIME with reference to trans-professional (χ2=3.96, df=1, p=0.05) and ethnicity sub-group analysis (p=0.039) design features than non-Anglophone documents. Non-academic documents were more likely to cite the acronym design feature than academic papers (χ2=5.73, df=1, p=0.01). Public Health-related publications were more likely to cite CHIME within a trans-diagnostic framework (χ2=16.39, df=1, p<0.001) than other disciplines. CONCLUSIONS: The influence and impact of conceptual frameworks for recovery are increased when the framework is underpinned by a systematic review, includes disaggregable components which can be summarized using a memorable acronym, and when the framework is transdisciplinary, trans-professional, and trans-diagnostic.