Recovery narrative photovoice: Feasibility of a writing and photography intervention for serious mental illnesses.

OBJECTIVE The primary purpose of this article is to describe the development and feasibility of the Recovery Narrative Photovoice intervention. The nature of this intervention will be discussed, including facilitating empowerment and a positive sense of identity among people with serious mental illnesses. We will also describe the integration of Photovoice methodology with psychoeducational components, informed by principles of the recovery movement and narrative therapy. METHODS Sixteen participants with serious mental illnesses from a psychosocial rehabilitation and education center in the Northeast participated in a pilot study evaluating this new 10-week intervention with a pre-post test design. To assess feasibility, descriptive statistical analyses were conducted of attendance data and number of works produced. The pilot study was implemented in 2 consecutive waves with 8 participants each. RESULTS High rates of attendance (69%) and production of photovoice works (82%) were demonstrated over the course of the 2 waves of the pilot. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Findings support the feasibility and acceptability of the Recovery Narrative Photovoice for individuals with serious mental illnesses. These results reflect the potential for using this intervention in psychiatric rehabilitation settings to facilitate recovery-related outcomes, including empowerment, positive identity, and community integration. Future research will require a replication of pre-post assessment of this intervention to further establish the efficacy of this program.