Table 1.
Overview of Topics for Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) Modules
| Module | Topic | Goals | Number of Sessions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Recovery strategies | • Engage clients in group | 4 |
| • Increase awareness of recovery | |||
| • Set personal recovery goals | |||
| • Develop plans for achieving goals | |||
| 2 | Practical facts about schizophrenia | • Identify symptoms associated with schizophrenia | 4 |
| • Dispel myths about schizophrenia | |||
| • Address stigma | |||
| • Help clients become aware of people with schizophrenia who lead productive lives | |||
| 3 | Stress-vulnerability model and treatment strategies | • Explain that stress and biological vulnerability cause symptoms of schizophrenia | 3 |
| • Discuss strategies for reducing stress and biological vulnerability | |||
| • Inform clients about treatment options | |||
| 4 | Building social support | • Discuss how building social support can facilitate recovery | 7 |
| • Teach strategies for increasing support, such as finding places to meet people, conversation skills, and getting closer to people | |||
| 5 | Using medications effectively | • Teach clients about benefits and side effects of medications | 4 |
| • Increase skills for discussing medication issues with physician | |||
| • Help clients weigh pros and cons of taking medications | |||
| • Teach behavioral tailoring to facilitate medication adherence | |||
| 6 | Reducing relapses | • Teach clients that relapses are predictable and preventable | 4 |
| • Develop an individual relapse prevention plan | |||
| 7 | Coping with stress | • Inform clients they can reduce stress and improve their ability to cope with it effectively | 5 |
| • Identify and practice strategies to prevent and to cope with stress | |||
| 8 | Coping with problems and persistent symptoms | • Teach problem-solving model | 6 |
| • Help clients identify common problems and symptoms that cause distress | |||
| • Practice coping strategies for persistent symptoms | |||
| 9 | Getting your needs met in the mental health system | • Review different mental health services | 3 |
| • Identify insurance benefits clients are entitled to | |||
| • Help clients identify strategies to advocate for self in mental health system |
Note: Since the completion of this study, a 10th IMR module has been developed for Drug and Alcohol Use that is usually taught between the fifth and sixth modules. This module provides information on the effects of substance use on mental illness, reasons for using the pros and cons of continued use vs sobriety, and (for motivated clients) developing a personal sobriety plan. The handout for this module and clinical guidelines for teaching it can be obtained from Dr Mueser.