Brief Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP^®) as a mental health self-management tool for community adults in Hong Kong: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background

Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP^®) is a recovery-oriented program designed for people with mental illness to improve well-being and self-manage symptoms.

Aims

This randomized controlled trial investigates the effectiveness of brief Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP^®) as a mental health self-management tool for adults without formal clinical diagnoses in Hong Kong.

Methods

182 adults were randomly assigned to WRAP^® or waitlist control condition to investigate whether WRAP^® can promote mental well-being and reduce psychological distress for community adults with no known diagnosable mental disorders.

Results

Significant improvements were found in depressive (η_p² = .11) and anxiety symptoms (η_p² = .06), empowerment (η_p² = .09), and personal recovery (η_p² = .11) among WRAP^® participants compared with waitlist control participants. Moreover, changes in anxiety symptoms, hope, empowerment, and reliance on others were found to sustain at 3-month follow-up.

Conclusions

Brief WRAP^® is an effective self-management tool in enhancing mental health and alleviating psychological distress for millennials living in the community.

Keywords:

• WRAP^®
• mental health
• self-management
• adults

Acknowledgement

The authors thank colleagues at the New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association for their assistance in facilitating WRAP® sessions.

Ethics approval

Institutional ethics approval from the first author’s Institution was obtained for the present study (CREC Ref. No.: 2016.073-T; SBRE Ref No.: 7105544).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study is partially funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for the project entitled “A Stepped-Care Online Self-help and Support Service Project on Mental Health” (Jockey Club TourHeart Project, 2017/0070).