title: Randomized controlled trial of peer-led recovery education using Building Recovery of Individual Dreams and Goals through Education and Support (BRIDGES).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of a peer-led, mental illness education intervention called Building Recovery of Individual Dreams and Goals through Education and Support (BRIDGES).
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were recruited from outpatient community mental health settings in eight Tennessee communities. Using a single-blind, randomized controlled trial design, 428 individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) were interviewed at baseline and assigned to BRIDGES or to a services as usual wait list control condition. Two-and-one-half hour classes were taught once a week for 8 weeks by peers who were certified BRIDGES instructors. Subjects were followed-up at immediate post-intervention and 6-months later. The primary outcome was self-perceived recovery, measured by the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS). A secondary outcome was hopefulness as assessed by the State Hope Scale (SHS). An exploratory hypothesis examined the impact of depressive symptoms on both recovery outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty six percent of participants were followed up. On average, participants attended five sessions. Intent-to-treat analysis using mixed-effects random regression found that, compared to controls, intervention participants reported: 1) significantly greater improvement in total RAS scores as well as subscales measuring personal confidence and tolerable symptoms; and 2) significantly greater improvement in hopefulness as assessed by the agency subscale of the SHS. While study subjects with high levels of depressive symptoms had significantly poorer outcomes, outcomes were superior for BRIDGES participants regardless of depressive symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peer-led mental illness education improves participants' self-perceived recovery and hopefulness over time, even controlling for severity of depressive symptoms.
authors: University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL 60612, United States. cook@ripco.com
authors: Judith A
authors: JA
authors: Cook
authors: Pamela
authors: P
authors: Steigman
authors: Sue
authors: S
authors: Pickett
authors: Sita
authors: S
authors: Diehl
authors: Anthony
authors: A
authors: Fox
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Shipley
authors: Rachel
authors: R
authors: MacFarlane
authors: Dennis D
authors: DD
authors: Grey
authors: Jane K
authors: JK
authors: Burke-Miller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004325:Dreams; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010379:Peer Group; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome