Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) for Schizophrenia

Status: Modest Research Support

Description

Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) focuses on teaching illness self-management to persons with serious mental illness. The emphasis is on recovery by helping clients set and pursue personally meaningful goals. IMR combines 1) psychoeducation about mental illness, 2) cognitive-behavioral approaches to medication management, 3) planning for relapse prevention, 4) social skills training to strengthen social support, and 5) coping skills to manage symptoms of mental illness. Each of these 5 elements has been widely studied, but the combination into a single intervention package has only undergone preliminary evaluation.

Key References (in reverse chronological order)

• Mueser, K.T. et. al (2006). The illness management and recovery program: Rationale, development, and preliminary findings. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 32, p S32-S43.
• Gingerich, S. & Mueser, K.T. (2005). Illness management and recovery. In Drake, R.E., Merrens, M.R. & Lynde, D.E. (Eds). Evidence-based mental health practice: A textbook. New York, Norton.

Clinical Resources

• Velligan, DI (2000). Cognitive Adaptation Training: The Use of Compensatory Strategies in the Psychosocial Rehabilitation of Patients with Schizophrenia. (Manual for therapists) UTHSCSA, Department of Psychiatry.