The Paradoxical Relationship Between Hope and the Educational Level of People in Recovery

Abstract

Education is considered a critically important asset in our society. Many people living with serious mental illnesses possess college and advanced degrees. However, the disruption to one's life from serious mental illness is often a barrier to actualizing career goals that were formulated before the onset of mental illness. The current study explores the relationship between educational level and hopefulness, after controlling for psychiatric symptoms, for a sample of participants in rehabilitation services seeking employment. A total of 84 participants enrolled in supported employment services completed assessments of hopefulness, psychiatric symptoms, and educational level. Hierarchical multiple regression was utilized to determine the relationship between the criterion variable hope and the predictor variables. The findings indicated a significant inverse relationship between hope and symptoms and a significant inverse relationship between hope and educational level. The findings suggest that maintaining hope of people in recovery with higher educational attainment may be a cogent issue for the field. Future research is indicated.

Keywords:

• Educational level and serious mental illness
• Hope
• Loss of potential
• Supported employment

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by a grant from the UMDNJ-SHRP-Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation's Center for the Promotion of Recovery from Severe Mental Illness.

Notes

Note: SHS = State Hope Scale; BHS = Beck Hopelessness Scale; GSI = Global Severity Index; BSI = Brief Symptom Inventory.

**Correlation is significant at the .01 level. *Correlation is significant at the .05 level.

**Correlation is significant at the .01 level. *Correlation is significant at the .05 level.