Multidimensional Strategies for Building and Sustaining Hope in Schizophrenia Recovery: A Scoping Review of Qualitative Studies

Abstract

Background: For individuals suffering from schizophrenia, hope is a vital part of their treatment process. Hope prevents despair caused by a mental condition, which can lead to relapse or even death.

Objective: This scoping review aims to synthesize qualitative evidence on the multidimensional strategies that foster and sustain hope among individuals with schizophrenia throughout the recovery process.

Methods: This study utilized a scoping review method following the PRISMA-ScR framework. Literature searches were conducted on 4 electronic databases, namely Pubmed, Scopus, EBSCOhost, and ScienceDirect, with the publication period limited from January 2014 to December 2024, in English and full text. This study is confined to qualitative research findings. The primary keywords for this article are "Schizophrenia”, "Psychotic Disorders”, "Strategies”, "Enhancing”, "Maintaining”, "Hope”, and "Mental Health Recovery”. This scoping review employs theme analysis.

Results: Eight qualitative studies met the inclusion criteria. The thematic synthesis identified six interconnected themes that highlight the strategies employed by schizophrenia survivors to cultivate hope in their recovery journey. These themes encompass the crucial role of social support in fostering hope, medication adherence and education as a pathway to stability, the role of environment in building hope, self-management in building hope, enhancement of spirituality, and the significance of setting life goals along with meaningful engagement.

Conclusion: A comprehensive mapping of the methods utilized by individuals with schizophrenia can provide a basis for healthcare providers to create suitable support models, thereby fostering and sustaining hope for recovery among schizophrenia survivors.