Perceptions and Experiences of Personal Recovery for Ethnic Minority People with Severe Mental Illness: A UK-informed Qualitative Systematic Review.

Research has shown that ethnic minority people living with severe mental illness (SMI) experience poor mental healthcare and outcomes. Mental health services are increasingly embedding recovery-focused approaches, informed by personal recovery models. Personal recovery focuses on creating social connections, building hope, establishing an identity, finding meaning and feeling empowered while living with SMI. However, how personal recovery is defined from the perspective of ethnic minority people with SMI is not well understood across the literature. To address this gap in knowledge, we conducted a qualitative systematic review to investigate how ethnic minority people with SMI perceive and experience personal recovery. Searches were completed through three databases (MEDLINE Ultimate, APA PsycINFO and CINAHL Ultimate). Studies that met the inclusion criteria were analysed using narrative synthesis. Twenty studies were included in the review, from which three themes were generated: i) The Family as a Supportive and Obstructive System; ii) Faith as the Foundation for Hopefulness and iii) Discovering Identity through Agency and Social Interactions. Across the three themes, facilitators and barriers of personal recovery were identified. The findings indicate the need for mental health professionals' to focus on minimising specific barriers to recovery for ethnic minority people with SMI. This review provides a robust account of personal recovery, that will serve to enhance healthcare professionals' knowledge regarding care initiatives and additional considerations for ethnic minority populations.