Year: 2026
Type: review
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Recovery Colleges (RCs) are educational, recovery-oriented approaches in mental health. Differences in evaluation purposes and settings may lead to diverse outcome indicators, making it important to map their use and supporting measurement evidence. This scoping review aimed to identify the outcome indicators used in RC evaluations and clarify their measured constructs, patterns of use, and reporting of reliability and validity. METHODS: The review followed JBI methodology and PRISMA-ScR reporting guidance. PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL Ultimate, ERIC, and seven databases accessed through ProQuest were searched. English-language journal articles reporting quantitative RC evaluations, including quantitative components of mixed-methods studies, were eligible. Eligible data included questionnaire scores before and after RC participation and health service utilization indicators, such as hospital admissions and service contacts. Three reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts and assessed full texts. Data were extracted collaboratively by two reviewers and independently checked by a third. Measured constructs were classified using inductive content analysis. RESULTS: Of 336 records identified, 149 remained after deduplication and 22 articles were included. Thirty-nine measure and indicator entries were identified across three domains: intra-personal and psychological changes, behavioral and social changes, and system and environment. The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), including its short version (SWEMWBS), appeared in 11 articles (50.0%) and the Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery (QPR) in four (18.2%); 28 entries appeared in one article only. Fifteen articles (68.2%) cited previous psychometric information or identifiable validation literature, two (9.1%) explicitly reported within-study reliability estimates, and six (27.3%) reported neither specific psychometric evidence nor an identifiable validation citation. One article was not applicable to scale psychometrics. CONCLUSION: RC evaluations used diverse measures, while direct assessment of educational processes and outcomes was comparatively limited. This review mapped measurement choices rather than RC effects. The findings can inform co-produced decisions about outcome selection and study design, alongside further evaluation of existing instruments' suitability for the intended RC populations. Involving learners and other stakeholders in these decisions can help align evaluation with research purposes and RCs' educational philosophy while ensuring that participants' individual goals are also assessed.
Source: Frontiers in Psychiatry
Authors: Yosuke Seike, Aya Bakuroda, Maki Tamari
Institutions: University of Kochi, Kōchi University
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W7223185793