Long term outcome study of a salutogenic psychoeducational recovery oriented intervention (Inte.G.R.O.) in severe mental illness patients

AIM: Inte.G.R.O. is a standardized Salutogenic-Psychoeducational intervention designed to help people with severe mental illness manage their life-stress and achieve personal recovery goals through the improvement of social functioning. The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term outcome of this approach, characterized by health promotion rather than correction of dysfunctional strategies. METHODS: 41 people underwent an observational study with a three time-point evaluation (t0, pre- treatment; t1, 12 months; t2, 36 months). At each time point, social functioning was assessed as primary outcome by the Personal and Social Functioning scale (PSP); furthermore, psychopathological status was assessed by Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), stress management was measured by means of Stress-Scale and cognitive flexibility variables were assessed by Modified Five-Point Test (M-FPT). RESULTS: Personal and Social Functioning increased at t1 and t2 vs t0; psychopathological status improved at t2 vs t0; stress management improved at t2 vs t1; cognitive flexibility improved at t2 vs t0. CONCLUSIONS: these results substantially confirm after a three-year follow-up the improvements in functioning, psychopathology, stress management and cognitive flexibility seen in previous studies. Furthermore, they show a complex time-dependent fashion. Overall, they confirm a remarkable and long-term impact of Inte.G.R.O. on key Recovery variables. Further studies are needed to address extent and duration of these improvements. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12888-022-03887-2.