Recovery-oriented and trauma-informed care for people with mental disorders to promote human rights and quality of mental health care: a scoping review

Abstract Background In several countries, the growing emphasis on human rights and the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) have highlighted the need for changes in culture, attitudes and practices of mental health services. New approaches, such as recover...

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Main Authors: Antonio Melillo, Noemi Sansone, John Allan, Neeraj Gill, Helen Herrman, Guadalupe Morales Cano, Maria Rodrigues, Martha Savage, Silvana Galderisi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-02-01
Series:BMC Psychiatry
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06473-4
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author Antonio Melillo
Noemi Sansone
John Allan
Neeraj Gill
Helen Herrman
Guadalupe Morales Cano
Maria Rodrigues
Martha Savage
Silvana Galderisi
author_facet Antonio Melillo
Noemi Sansone
John Allan
Neeraj Gill
Helen Herrman
Guadalupe Morales Cano
Maria Rodrigues
Martha Savage
Silvana Galderisi
author_sort Antonio Melillo
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background In several countries, the growing emphasis on human rights and the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) have highlighted the need for changes in culture, attitudes and practices of mental health services. New approaches, such as recovery-oriented care (ROC) and trauma-informed care (TIC) emphasize the users’ needs and experiences and promote autonomy and human rights. Aims To provide an overview of the literature on recovery-oriented care (ROC) and trauma-informed care (TIC) and their relevance to the promotion of human rights and quality of mental health care. Method We conducted a scoping review by searching the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO. We performed a qualitative synthesis of the literature aimed at reviewing: (1) current conceptualisations of recovery in mental health care; (2) recovery-oriented practices in mental health care; (3) current conceptualizations of trauma and TIC in mental health care; (4) trauma-informed practices in mental health care; (5) the relationship between ROC and TIC, with a particular focus on their shared goal of promoting alternatives to coercion, and on trauma-informed and/or recovery oriented alternatives to coercion. Results According to prevailing conceptual frameworks, ROC and TIC share many underlying principles and should be regarded as complementary. Both approaches affirm the conceptualization of service users as persons, foster their autonomy and rely on their involvement in designing and monitoring mental health services. Both approaches promote human rights. A wider consensus on conceptual frameworks, tools and methodologies is needed to support ROC and TIC implementation and allow comparison among practices. Recovery-oriented and trauma-informed models of care can contribute to the implementation of non-coercive practices, which show promising results but warrant further empirical study. Conclusions Recovery-oriented and trauma-informed practices and principles may contribute to the shift towards rights-based mental health care and to the implementation and successful uptake of alternatives to coercion. Local and international work aimed to promote and test these approaches may provide a contribution to improving mental health care world-wide. Future research should focus on the outcomes of all involved stakeholders’ and include the perspectives of both staff members and service users in different contexts.
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spelling doaj-art-6af16974c9cd4d0a866ee2eb3d4ac4832025-08-20T02:13:06ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2025-02-0125112210.1186/s12888-025-06473-4Recovery-oriented and trauma-informed care for people with mental disorders to promote human rights and quality of mental health care: a scoping reviewAntonio Melillo0Noemi Sansone1John Allan2Neeraj Gill3Helen Herrman4Guadalupe Morales Cano5Maria Rodrigues6Martha Savage7Silvana Galderisi8University of Campania Luigi VanvitelliUniversity of Campania Luigi VanvitelliMedical School, Mayne Academy of Psychiatry, University of Queensland, University of QueenslandSchool of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith UniversityOrygen and Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of MelbourneFundación Mundo BipolarKindred CollaborativeSchool of Geography, Environment and Earth Science, Victoria University of WellingtonUniversity of Campania Luigi VanvitelliAbstract Background In several countries, the growing emphasis on human rights and the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) have highlighted the need for changes in culture, attitudes and practices of mental health services. New approaches, such as recovery-oriented care (ROC) and trauma-informed care (TIC) emphasize the users’ needs and experiences and promote autonomy and human rights. Aims To provide an overview of the literature on recovery-oriented care (ROC) and trauma-informed care (TIC) and their relevance to the promotion of human rights and quality of mental health care. Method We conducted a scoping review by searching the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO. We performed a qualitative synthesis of the literature aimed at reviewing: (1) current conceptualisations of recovery in mental health care; (2) recovery-oriented practices in mental health care; (3) current conceptualizations of trauma and TIC in mental health care; (4) trauma-informed practices in mental health care; (5) the relationship between ROC and TIC, with a particular focus on their shared goal of promoting alternatives to coercion, and on trauma-informed and/or recovery oriented alternatives to coercion. Results According to prevailing conceptual frameworks, ROC and TIC share many underlying principles and should be regarded as complementary. Both approaches affirm the conceptualization of service users as persons, foster their autonomy and rely on their involvement in designing and monitoring mental health services. Both approaches promote human rights. A wider consensus on conceptual frameworks, tools and methodologies is needed to support ROC and TIC implementation and allow comparison among practices. Recovery-oriented and trauma-informed models of care can contribute to the implementation of non-coercive practices, which show promising results but warrant further empirical study. Conclusions Recovery-oriented and trauma-informed practices and principles may contribute to the shift towards rights-based mental health care and to the implementation and successful uptake of alternatives to coercion. Local and international work aimed to promote and test these approaches may provide a contribution to improving mental health care world-wide. Future research should focus on the outcomes of all involved stakeholders’ and include the perspectives of both staff members and service users in different contexts.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06473-4Personal recoveryClinical recoveryHuman rightsUsers’ empowermentCoercion
spellingShingle Antonio Melillo
Noemi Sansone
John Allan
Neeraj Gill
Helen Herrman
Guadalupe Morales Cano
Maria Rodrigues
Martha Savage
Silvana Galderisi
Recovery-oriented and trauma-informed care for people with mental disorders to promote human rights and quality of mental health care: a scoping review
BMC Psychiatry
Personal recovery
Clinical recovery
Human rights
Users’ empowerment
Coercion
title Recovery-oriented and trauma-informed care for people with mental disorders to promote human rights and quality of mental health care: a scoping review
title_full Recovery-oriented and trauma-informed care for people with mental disorders to promote human rights and quality of mental health care: a scoping review
title_fullStr Recovery-oriented and trauma-informed care for people with mental disorders to promote human rights and quality of mental health care: a scoping review
title_full_unstemmed Recovery-oriented and trauma-informed care for people with mental disorders to promote human rights and quality of mental health care: a scoping review
title_short Recovery-oriented and trauma-informed care for people with mental disorders to promote human rights and quality of mental health care: a scoping review
title_sort recovery oriented and trauma informed care for people with mental disorders to promote human rights and quality of mental health care a scoping review
topic Personal recovery
Clinical recovery
Human rights
Users’ empowerment
Coercion
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06473-4
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