Mental Health Recovery Outcomes of students attending a hospital-based Recovery College in Canada

Abstract

Recovery Colleges are strength-based mental health and well-being learning centers driven by peer support and principles of adult education. This paper examines the outcome of a hospital-based Recovery College in Canada on participants’ self-reported well-being, recovery, loneliness and self-esteem. Using a retrospective pre- and post- survey design and standardized scales, we collected self-reported data from 32 Recovery College students. The majority (88%) of participants were female and 78% of participants reported to struggle with maintaining positive mental health. Recovery College participation had a significant impact on self-reported connection, mental well-being, self-esteem, and personal mental health recovery.