occupational therapy personal statement pdf

Complete Personal Statement Guide for Pre-OT Occupational Therapy School Programs

Introduction.

This detailed guide will provide you with tips, do’s, don’ts, examples, and other helpful things along the way to write your personal statement for OT school.

You may be thinking:

• Where do I even start with writing a personal statement?
• Maybe I can look for some more examples online.
• My story does not seem as exciting as these examples.
• These examples don’t really relate to me.
• I don’t like the writing style or “feeling” that these examples give me.
• How do I even go about this?

Or maybe you didn’t have any of these thoughts and you are just looking for some extra tips to polish up your personal statement before you send it to the world. This guide will still help!

While this guide was written with Pre-OT’s for occupational therapy personal statements in mind, it of course can apply to other professions such as physical therapy, speech therapy, PA, RN, even undergraduate programs.

I am not part of any admissions committee or affiliated with them in any way. However, as a graduate of an occupational therapy program, I also read and edited many other personal statements for friends and family. This guide is not a guarantee that you will get accepted or a guarantee that you will produce the best personal statement. This is just my opinion and unfortunately, the writing is all up to you!

Fortunately, you already have the hard part done – building your education, experiences, personal character, and goals!

Not quite there yet, that’s okay too – this guide will give you a preview of how to prepare to write your personal statement.

The Process

The process of writing a personal statement may involve something like:

Reflecting, getting something typed on the screen, getting writer’s block, getting distracted, taking a break, editing it, reflecting, typing some ideas, deleting those ideas, repeat, have it proofread, reading it out loud, reflecting, make more edits, and you’re done! While this sounds like a lot, it’s doable.

Set-up and Preparation

Start Early

When you feel like you are ready to write your personal statement, start writing! Don’t wait until the last minute to write. Personal statements require editing, giving it some time for your mind to clear to re-read, having it proofread by someone else, and making more edits.

Install Grammarly

We use Grammarly as a browser extension for its spellcheck and grammar check. It is really good at catching mistakes as you go and the free version is all you really need to get some basic editing done. This allows you to focus on the writing and not the spelling. Software like Grammarly also helps if you especially have a hard time with writing in general. While it can suggest edits for errors, it is up to you to write the content.  AI is not quite there yet, but we are close!

Cheating & plagiarizing

I just have to say it. Don’t cheat or plagiarize. Don’t hire someone to write for you. I hear stories of students cheating here or there, so it must still be happening. Grad school is not the time to jeopardize all the hard work you put in.

Have a back-up system for your document

It would be a huge set-back to lose all your hard work. These days, you can easily use the cloud such as Dropbox or Google Drive/Docs for storing your files. This goes for your personal statement document as well as your graduate school application files such as notes, deadlines, resumes, etc. All it takes is a coffee spilled on your laptop for you to lose all your hard work (it happened to my classmate in OT school). Better yet, back up all your data that is important to you. Lectures, recordings, assignments.

Write in a place you feel productive

It doesn’t have to be a quiet library. It just has to be what works. If it’s a coffee shop, then go there. Write in a place you associate with positive work (but also don’t get distracted too easily, e.g. a cat cafe) – like to your favorite study area.

It’s okay if it doesn’t seem perfect or even good at first

After all, you are writing something like this probably for the first time, with a unique set of experiences for a specific intention of impressing the OT’s admissions panel. It can be difficult for artists to create art or music, or write a book in one session. So don’t stress it!

• Re-research the profession, job description, duties, etc. BLS.gov is my favorite go-to for profession research. We have a video on it here .
• Follow the personal statement prompt and instructions. Read it several times to make sure. If there is a word limit, don’t go over. Double-check before you submit.
• Pay attention to the file format that is requested from the programs. Word doc? PDF? Make sure your file actually opens after you upload it and is not corrupt, if possible. If you are uploading to a central application like OTCAS, make sure you meet those guidelines.
• Write in the same tense and person throughout (“I”, first-person is fine).
• Write in an order that makes sense and flows to the reader, e.g. chronologically.
• Write with a purpose. Each sentence should be there for a reason and not be filler. Exclude extra information or too specific of information that doesn’t contribute to your story.
• Example: Nowadays, I want to be an occupational therapist first and foremost because I want to help people and really make a difference in each of their lives.
• Better example: My goal is to become an occupational therapist who makes a difference in people’s lives.
• Warning : I wouldn’t you use this specific example in your personal statement because it’s probably been overused. Try to be creative by saying how you want to “help” people in  other ways .
• Be honest, try to copy an example’s voice, do not write over-the-top or fabricate the story.
• Be politically correct and culturally sensitive.
• My personal statement didn’t have big GRE words or fancy syntax. It told a great story that was (in my opinion) to the point, compelling, persuasive, and driven.
• Describe your values and goals while highlighting your strengths.
• In my opinion, it is best to talk about college, work, and other achievements and experiences in your “adulthood”.
• Even traveling experience (shows cultural awareness) as an adult is more noteworthy than say winning a basketball game in high school (less relevant to OT)
• Tip: think about when you first were motivated to become an OT and start from there, not earlier.
• Don’t use cliches or minimize them as much you can. Readers see this a lot and it does not make a big impact on their impression of you.
• Don’t use slang/informal speech, e.g. “sticking with it” -> perseverance.
• Don’t make jokes and be careful if you decide to use humor (what may be funny to you may not be to the reader). It’s safe to leave humor out and just get to the point.
• Avoid being sarcastic.
• Pay attention to your use of OT – it can be occupational therapy or occupational therapist, but personally, I get confused when people use “OT” interchangeably.
• In my final submitted personal statement, I only abbreviated “MSOT” and “EMT” and did not “OT” once.
• Example: I got accepted to shadow at [facility] and was observing observed patients do their rehab exercises.
• Pay attention to these verbs in sentences that run longer. Consider shortening them to make it less tiring to read, avoiding avoid run-on sentences. (see what I did there?)
• Don’t abbreviate or hyphenate too often or incorrectly . If you do it one way, be sure you are at least consistent throughout. e.g. evidence-based, not evidenced based.
• O ccupational therapist is capitalized like this correctly.
• However, an Occupational Therapist is not correct if capitalized like this.
• This is the correct capitalization for an occupational therapist.
• The same goes for the field of occupational therapy.
• O ccupational therapy is capitalized correctly in this sentence.
• Abbreviations are always capitalized, e.g. OT.
• Don’t write anything negative about anyone, organization, place, etc .
• Don’t write in a negative tone, be a “Debbie Downer”
• “OTs make a lot of money.”
• “I will be the best occupational therapist because…”
• “I am the best candidate because”
• “Since I am… , therefore”
• “Unlike others”, or
• “Other professions” talking down, avoid talking about other professions in general. No one profession is better than another, the same applies to OT. Think about why OT over other professions leading to your decision to become one).
• Think about how someone in another profession, say a PT would feel after reading your personal statement. They should not feel offended after reading your personal statement, but instead think, “wow, such and such would make a great OT.” Not that OT is better than PT, that kind of thing.
• When I become an occupational therapist. If I become an occupational therapist.
• Don’t repeat yourself, you only need to say something once in its context. Of course, the bigger message can be repeated, e.g. intro and conclusion. Just don’t sound repetitive.
• Don’t use the same phrases (especially close to each other), try using different words. That doesn’t mean you should just look up words in a thesaurus. Really think about what’s the point you are trying to make.
• Don’t use profanity.
• In everyday speech we say things like, “that’s crazy”. Someone with a mental illness who really is crazy could be offended. I had a teacher whose pet-peeve was people who said things were crazy . Remove crazy from your personal statement.
• “He probably was abused since he was in a recovery program/”
• I would avoid using “ normal” too. “Occupational therapists help patients get back to their normal.” This implies the patient was abnormal before. Better words: recover, improve, rehabilitate, strengthen, adapt, overcome, etc.
• Other labels: retarded, slow, crippled, mental, insane
• You can include a facility name, e.g. Standford hospital – as long as you don’t talk about it in a negative context.
• “Standford hospital treats a lot of poor patients.” Standford hospital is a valuable asset to the community for the underserved.
• Don’t include anything that can be seen as a weakness, e.g. low GPA, took a semester off, DUI, unexplained career changes.
• This is your chance to “say” what you want to say and include your story that is not apparent in the other pre-requisites. All the other candidates likely have high GPAs and had to take the same pre-requisite courses, but they did not shadow at your facility with your patient , so here’s your chance to distinguish yourself.
• What experience may be unique to you ?
• For example, I included my experience of being an EMT to make myself stand out.
• This could backfire and show your lack of research into how broad OT can be. Don’t forget about mental health too! OT’s study to be  generalists , not specialists.
• While it’s okay to want to work with a specific population as a goal, don’t accidentally make it sound like you think OT’s only do one thing. Hope this one makes sense.

Question’s to address or reflect on

Reflect. Write. Take a break. Repeat.

• What is your experience with other backgrounds and cultures in your pre-OT journey?
• How did you realize that OT was for you? Why not PT? (Reflect, but don’t answer this directly.)
• What or who were the influence(s) or influencers?
• This is a rich opportunity to mention your specific OT shadowing experience at the stage in which you want to be an OT.
• I would include at least 1 example from this, 2 is better, but not too much either.
• Not just becoming an OT (graduating) but afterwards. e.g. 1 year post-grad, 5 years, where you see yourself 10 years out.
• What challenges did you overcome in your pre-requisite pre-OT journey?
• What sets you apart from other applicants? Why should I not pick person A or person B over you?
• Tip: research the school’s website for their mission statement, OT program background, etc. to get familiar with the specifics. If you can include and relate to some of this, even better!
• “My motivation to help others and my passion for occupational therapy will guide me to be successful in the [program].” or

Since [school] strives to “[OT program mission statement]”, I firmly believe that [school] will help me reach my goals of becoming a successful occupational therapist.

Recommendations

• Talk about why you want to be an OT, but not just to “help” people. How? Which population/community/background? Conditions? Why? Tip: three major categories of OT are: mental health, pediatrics, and adults/older adults. Nurses help people too. How is OT different for you?
• Hint: occupations ! meaningful, client-centered.
• Check out the OTDUDE Podcast and other podcasts for ideas; Episode 1: What is OT
• Reflection tip: other professions may be based on the medical model or helping people become healthy, but OT is different because…
• Check out AOTA.org for some phrasing of the profession to inspire you.
• If you are comfortable, use OT related terminology or phrases, but don’t go overboard, e.g. occupation, intervention, treatment, activities of daily living, evidence-based, collaborative, interdisciplinary, client-centered, holistic, functional. Plain English is fine, you don’t have to sound like a journal article.
• As mentioned, highlight why you would be a valuable candidate (fit) to their program. Think about not only your experience but your character and quality traits . Examples: creativity, leadership, patient, resourceful, reliability? Teamwork and communication?
• Show indirectly through your stories or experiences why you will be successful in the program and not “drop-out”. Perseverance.
• Psychologically, readers tend to remember the beginnings and end more than the middle.
• How will being an OT help you achieve your goals, career? Not just short-term, but think bigger. While this sounds cliche – OT is not just a job, it will become your life. A person’s job (and career) is a large part of their identity.
• The reader should feel like they read about a person they would want to meet in the program and in real life, someone who can contribute something to the cohort, school, faculty, alumni – long term relationship. You will not only graduate as a student but a colleague in the field of occupational therapy to the faculty.

Here is a template I created to get you started. This is of course not a magic template that works for everyone or neither was it created by any OT entity for students. Copy & paste this into your favorite word processing program and write away.

Paragraph 1

Sentence 1: Attention-grabbing sentence. Hook into your story.

Supporting sentences: Support the above story with specifics.

Concluding sentence: “Thesis statement” stating why you chose (or) may be a successful OT.

Body Paragraphs (2, 3, 4, 5, etc.)

Opening sentence: As a , I [did this, and that] at [place or company or school]

Supporting sentences: strengthen your narrative in the opening sentence. These sentences should not deviate from the opening sentence topic or story, otherwise start a new paragraph. Should answer a [ Question’s to address or reflect on] section (see above).

Concluding sentence(s): wrap everything in this story up, optionally include a transition sentence.

Concluding Paragraph

Opening sentence: restate why you will be a successful OT.

Supporting sentences: start wrapping things up. Big picture. If applying to a specific program, consider answering why this program (e.g. does its mission statement appeal to you?).

Final sentence: end strong stating that you want to be an OT. Mention because it is in your long-term goals.  Consider ending everything with the words “occupational therapist” (identity), e.g. “…be a successful occupational therapist” OR “occupational therapy”, e.g. “… to pursue a career in occupational therapy”.

Here are some examples. All identifying information and some facts were fabricated for example sake.

After graduation, I did a lot of soul searching in terms of the career I wanted to pursue. Did I want to appease my parents and pursue [career]? Should we expand [business name] and take it to the next level? I knew I wanted a career that could help people in my day-to-day, but none of those paths fulfilled that desire. After my [family member] injured her arm and was unable to return to work or help out around the house, I saw her frustration and loss of dignity. Our family took a significant financial toll. When my [family member] finally saw an occupational therapist, I motivated her to do the exercises from her care plan and she eventually regained upper arm function. My [family member’s] perseverance inspired me to become an occupational therapist to help people develop, recover, and improve the skills needed for daily living, working, and leading active lifestyles .

• This excerpt, although really did happen, sounds cliche with phrases like soul searching, take it to the next level.
• While the reflection part and figuring out what to do may seem important, it can be shortened to and still get the message across.
• Using the family member is a good example especially since it related to a story with an occupational therapist.
• The last two sentences highlight that I know what OT is (and why I want to become one) but can be cleaned up.

I was inspired by a personal experience with an occupational therapist when my [family member] suffered a rotator cuff tear and was unable to perform her activities of daily living . My [family member] became discouraged and did not do the recommended home exercises , but I saw the value in them and helped my [family member] complete them daily to recover. I learned the value of occupational therapy and how important it is to take a holistic approach by involving caregivers .

• Mentioning ADL’s shows I know what OT’s do.
• Shows my direct involvement with OT intervention.
• Shows my understanding of OT’s holistic approach.
• Words like “value” are strong. The word caregiver is often used in OT documentation.

I was hired as a EMT at [employer] in [city] for a small business that reminded me of our own [business name]. My role as a EMT at [employer] involved caring and treating for the sick and injured that involved tasks such as CPR or patient comfort and advocacy. As an EMT I again found that I was a valuable asset to the company having known how to speak some Spanish. Patients and staff members challenged me and tested my patience. My contact with patients out in the field was a unique experience that exposed me to the reality of what a healthcare profession involved. Due to the physical demands of the job and the high stress environment, many EMTs “burned out” and quit. I admit that I have thought about quitting, but I found the interactions with my patients far more rewarding and continued to work close to two years as an EMT. Working closely with these patients taught me to be sensitive to each person and their unique experiences. As an EMT, I developed my critical thinking skills to adapt the environment to my patients in order to safely transfer care, as well as educate patients on how to minimize hazards and prevent further injuries. Hearing my patients personally thank me for my care and education reassured me that I was pursuing the right career in helping patients resume their activities of daily living and accomplish their own goals.

• How would you improve this example?
• Lots of specifics can be taken out like employer name, city.
• Role as EMT is well-known, better to include more significant things such as experience, outcome, or relevance to OT.
• Being bilingual is nice, but more for a resume than a personal statement as it does not add to the story.
• Leave out specific thought process of thinking about quitting (weaknesses). Perseverance was also already shared in a previous example – talk about another quality instead, e.g. stress management, working with diverse population, fast-paced environment, patient education as an EMT and how it translates to OT.
• Reflect on how one story can share multiple strengths you have not mentioned so far in previous examples.
• The example does not translate or relate back to OT in a clear manner, but alludes to the qualities of one. This can be written to be more obvious because EMT and OT have very similar qualities that are needed to be good practitioners.

As an EMT, I developed my critical thinking skills with my patients in order to safely transfer care and educate patients on how to prevent further injuries. Hearing my patients personally thank me for my care and education reassures me that I am pursuing the right career by helping patients resume their activities of daily living and accomplish their own goals .

Much shorter, to the point, and use of effective words that highlight what OT’s also do – educate, doing it safely, prevention of disease and injury, and meeting client’s goals.

FAQ and Self-Doubt

Addressing negative self-talk and negative beliefs about yourself.

“This is my 100th time applying…”

Maybe it will be your 101st that you get in. You see this all the time with graduates taking the board exam who fail X number of times. Don’t give up!

“I was never good at writing.”

Writing takes practice. I never liked writing in grade school. Now I enjoy writing about OT. So use your resources, e.g. spell-check, someone to proof-read, reading other examples. You CAN do it.

“My experience is not that special.”

Not everyone did CPR on their patient, observed a miraculous rehab recovery, etc. It’s what you make of the moments, how you interpret it, become inspired by it, how it changes you, and make you want to be an OT. It’s all from YOUR perspective. You can take 2 people who watch the same movie. One person could be moved by it and the other not be interested, right?

“The more I read this, the more I feel like it is not good enough.”

Take a break, put it down, and come back to it. Have someone else read it and get their opinion. Sometimes, we get stuck in our own thoughts and they can trick us and lead us down a negative path of thinking.

“I have the opposite problem, I have too much to write about and not enough room.”

You can probably take our your younger experiences. Leave the “resume” stuff out. Try to pick the most “OT” related or healthcare moments. If you do not have these examples to draw from, choose ones that fit the characteristics of a good OT. Each example should not be a repeated theme of another and highlight something profound.

“Now I am not so sure what OT’s do anymore, after writing all this.”

Go on BLS.gov for OT’s, listen to OT podcasts (to become inspired), watch some YouTubers on OT.

“I am having doubts about OT vs. (other profession)”

Avoid reading forums, facebook groups, Reddit for OT. These are often skewed towards OTs who may be burned out (which could happen for any other profession on social media). Dig deep into why you wanted to be an OT in the first place! If still in doubt, maybe you should observe some more, talk to some more OT’s and listen to some OT podcasts (because they are positive about the profession usually). I would avoid YouTube as many who are burned out could make videos.

“No one can proofread my personal statement.”

Try writing workshops, a school or public library, or similar resources. A simple google search could help and you won’t necessarily need to pay. Avoid suspicious websites and  uploading  your work to avoid others from plagiarizing you. Use people or resources that you trust.

“This is my 100th draft, it’s not perfect yet”

Deadlines will often help with this. Don’t let them catch you off guard. Consider going back and making an outline and seeing if you covered everything you want to talk about. A timer may help. Get the approval of at least 2 readers to give you support for how awesome your personal statement is.

“I don’t know where to start in writing”

That’s okay, start writing about a story or experience you have in mind and build around it. Start in the middle as intros and conclusions can be very difficult to begin writing.

• Read some other examples online, but don’t stress about it. If possible, have someone who may have been accepted to a graduate program send you theirs. You can use it as a template or for inspiration to the types of stores, tone, conclusion paragraph used, etc.
• Set a timer (e.g. Pomodoro method) so you won’t stress out and remind yourself to take breaks, move-on, just get something out and fix it later. Exact grammar, spelling, and other “writing” can be fixed later – focus on content.
• Get into a habit of writing, set a schedule …or do it randomly, no-schedule (whatever works for you ). Maybe it’s writing every other day in the morning, after a nap, after playing video games, after a meal, after walking your dog, or whatever sets you up for success.
• Have at least 2 people read (and edit) your personal statement. Don’t take it personally and not all suggestions are necessarily correct.
• In the earlier stages of writing, if deciding between two stories or segments in your writing, consider having two drafts and see which one your proof-readers prefer.
• Read your personal statement out loud, spaced out, e.g. 1 week later (when it is no longer fresh and you forgot some of what you wrote). Make edits as needed.
• Candidates come from all walks of life, have different personalities (e.g. type-A vs. B), extroverted vs. introverted, outspoken vs. quiet – so some of these tips (or your editor suggestions) may not appeal to you or seem unnatural, etc. This can be your strength. Follow your gut. It’s not like OT schools are only looking for outspoken, extroverted candidates. It’s how you use those qualities to better the world with OT. This is what makes you unique, special, and distinguished. Highlight those features!
• Take care of yourself – eat well, exercise, manage your stress, breathe.

Thank you for reading this long guide. I wish you the best in your journey to becoming an occupational therapist (or whatever career). See you all in the field!

Write an Awesome Personal Statement for OT School

So you want to be an occupational therapist, but you still have to jump through the many hoops of applying for grad programs. One mandatory part of the process is writing a great personal statement specifically for occupational therapy school, which can be pretty intimidating when it’s time to put pen to paper.

Well, I’m here to help!

I personally spent quite a bit of time crafting the best possible personal statement I could for OT school, and have since read and edited many, many personal statements from pre-OT applicants. (Want me to edit yours? Sign up here !)

These are my top tips for you to craft a great occupational therapy personal statement that will help you stand out from the large crowd of pre-OT applicants. 

First, the Do’s and Dont’s of Statement Writing

• Do start early: Give yourself enough time to brainstorm, write, and revise your personal statement well before the deadline. This will really reduce your feelings of stress and being rushed.
• Do show sincerity in your writing. It’s encouraged to let your positive emotions and enthusiasm shine through. 
• Do talk about why you want to be an occupational therapist. You want the programs to see that you are serious about this decision. You are not just applying because you can’t think of anything else to do for a career.
• Do in one way or another demonstrate through your writing that you know what OT is and why it’s important.
• Do showcase why you’ll make a great addition to their program, adding unique qualities that will differentiate you from the other applicants. 
• Do talk about your shadowing experience, volunteering and work experience that is relevant to the field of OT. Make sure you keep patient information confidential if you discuss certain cases you observed.
• Do feel free to use the language of OT if you know it and are familiar with it (i.e. interventions, treatments, occupations, goals, evidence-based, functional treatments, etc.)
• Do tie your personal statement together. If you make several different points, try to piece them together for the reader to show that you’ve really thought through the big picture.
• Do have at least two people (but the more the better) read and proofread the final draft of your statement. Ask friends, family members, and someone at your school’s writing center. This can help spark ideas and ensure your application is completely free of typos or grammatical errors. The last thing you want is admissions to immediately notice any glaring spelling mistakes that you may have missed.
• Do keep the length to 1-2 pages max. You want it to be short and sweet. If any sentence or paragraph looks unnecessary after you do a final read-through, get rid of it. As a general rule, personal statements run on average 600-800 words.

Don’t…

• Don’t start your essay with clichés. In fact, leave them out of your statement altogether. An example of this is “I’ve always wanted to help people” (they see this all the time).
• Don’t plagiarize. There are a lot of personal statement examples on the internet that you can absolutely use to guide your writing process. Do not use them word for word. Programs can find out and will exclude your application.  U se the examples as templates of what kind of content you’ll cover in your statement.
• Don’t try to be humorous in your personal statement. Even if you’re hilarious, this is not the time to show this. 
• Don’t just talk about your childhood. Focus on college and post college achievements unless something in your childhood or adolescence is what drove you to a career in occupational therapy. Remember that this isn’t an autobiography, it’s a statement on why you’ll be a great OT.
• Don’t guess what you think the reader wants you to say. Be honest and don’t write in a way that is out of line with who you really are. Don’t just write something to try to impress people.
• Don’t be a downer. Avoid going into detail about your dislikes, negative views, or problems in your life. If you have a low GPA or lack of experience, don’t mention it unless you can put a positive spin on it. Listing excuses for your low GPA or GRE score isn’t a good idea either, unless you really feel the need to tie in why your GPA is lower but how you’ll be an awesome therapist despite this.
• Don’t mention specific programs in your statement if you’re using OTCAS . It will be sent to every school you apply to and therefore won’t make sense. If you apply to an individual school (not on OTCAS) then absolutely mention the school and why you’re passionate about their program.

Check out the How Get Into OT School Guide! It’s the most comprehensive resource that covers everything you need to know.

Ask yourself this question:.

A bonus tip I found while perusing the Student Doctor Network Forums while researching this topic, which is to ask yourself this question:

“Can you replace your personal statement with a degree other than OT?  If not, it’s solid. If you can, then try to revise to make it only relevant to OT.”

And that’s a wrap!

If you have any other tips or tricks you’ve discovered while writing your personal statement for OT school, please feel free to add them in the comments section. I wish you the best of luck with your statement writing and your overall OT school application process!

Be sure to check out these other helpful resources:

Writing the Personal Statement (Purdue OWL)

Start Your Grad School Personal Statement in Just 1 Hour! (The Muse)

Writing a Personal Statement (Emory Pre-Health Advising)

5 Big Mistakes I Made When Applying to OT School (My OT Spot)

This post was last updated on May 12, 2023.

You may also like

Alternative Career Paths for Occupational Therapists

Top Occupational Therapy Volunteer Opportunities

Successfully Negotiate Your OT Job Offer

As I’m working on my application essay this week, your article is very helpful! Thank you.

I’m so glad it was helpful for you 🙂 Best of luck with your applications!

Thank you for this article! I just wanted to know, do you offer services proof reading other people’s personal statements? That would be really helpful for me!

Hi May, I do offer personal statement reviewing that you can set up here . Instead of the traditional coaching call that’s linked, it will instead entail personal statement edits and feedback via email 🙂

Leave a comment Cancel reply

Your comment *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Privacy Overview

Student Good Guide

The best UK online resource for students

Occupational Therapy Personal Statement

Read our real example of Occupational Therapy personal statement to be able to work on your application for university.

Occupational Therapy Personal Statement Example

To me, occupational therapy’s guiding principles – above all, equipping individuals with the skills and confidence to lead full, rewarding lives – strike a chord as the best way to restore health. It would be a privilege and an enriching experience to be part of a profession based on these ideals that could improve the lives of others.

As a result of my diverse upbringing, I have excellent communication and empathy skills. After living in various countries throughout my childhood, my family and I finally settled in the United Kingdom. Living temporarily in several different places, often overcoming language barriers, has helped me to appreciate communication and to strive to improve it. I have also encountered people from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds by living in such a diverse range of places.

My experience completing the first year of a BSc in Biomedical Sciences, which I believed did not suit my career goals or academic interests, demonstrated my aptitude for higher education and suitability to work as an occupational therapist. I left the course after feeling that course did not suit my interests or career goals. The position I held as a course representative required me to communicate effectively with fellow students and assist in formulating proposals that would improve the quality of the course for them. These skills are relevant to the work of occupational therapists, in my opinion. In addition, the experience of taking an unsuitable course has taught me not to make big decisions lightly and to pursue a career I am genuinely interested in. I feel confident that occupational therapy is the right course for me, and I look forward to completing it with full enthusiasm.

As a result of shadowing an occupational therapist, I have gained a deeper understanding of this fascinating field. The experience of eyeing the work of the therapist and seeing how the central goal of everything that they did was orchestrated at helping people to lead fulfilling lives, whether through coaching people on techniques to control problems such as anxiety or assisting individuals to develop plans for themselves, was inspirational. I was positively impressed with the therapist’s ability to understand people’s conditions through a combination of talking to them and keeping an eye on them as they went about their business, not to mention the importance that the therapist attached to assessing each individual thoroughly to ensure that the help that they offered would benefit the individual and their circumstances.

I recently spent four weeks volunteering at a local school, where I worked daily with the children. I spent a considerable amount of the time on the placement working with a disabled girl, in the form of helping her and keeping her company during breaks and lunchtimes. Being able to help children in this way was a great pleasure, and working with kids from a variety of backgrounds made me realise the significance of the role that occupational therapists can play in helping children who come from troubled families. Indeed, the rewarding experience of working with children has made me develop an interest in working as a paediatric occupational therapist one day. I was inspired to carry out this work experience through the sense of accomplishment I derived from helping to organise a Christmas party for a group of disabled children whilst I was at college. The experience made me realise that helping people was something that drives me to make the most of my skills and abilities. I believe that qualifying as an occupational therapist would be an ideal profession for me to be able to do this.

Recommended reading:

• How to Write a Personal Statement That Stands Out
• How to Write a Personal Statement for a PhD
• UCAS Personal Statement: A Writing Guide And Tips For Success
• Tips for Writing a Personal Statement for the University
• UCAS Reference Letter: Ultimate Writing Guide

More Personal Statement Examples

• Anthropology personal statement examples
• Statistics Personal Statements
• PPE Oxford Personal Statement Example
• Classics Personal Statement Examples
• Theology Personal Statement Examples
• Physics Personal Statement Examples
• Chemical Engineering personal statement examples
• Oncology Personal Statement Examples
• Psychiatry Personal Statement Examples
• Earth Sciences Personal Statement Example
• History Personal Statement Examples
• Veterinary Personal Statement Examples For University

• Personal Statements
• Occupational Therapy personal statement

Occupational Therapy Personal Statement Example

Sample statement.

Occupational Therapy is a highly rewarding career that allows you to meet a range of people from different backgrounds and get real job satisfaction. If you’re planning on applying to study Occupational Therapy at university, and you’re struggling with your personal statement, here is an example to help you out:

I have been interested in a career within the care industry for a long time and after completing various work experience placements I have decided that Occupational Therapy is the correct career path for me.

At school I spent time at a paediatric ward as part of my work experience placement and was able to shadow various members of staff, including the paediatric occupational therapists.

I got to see first-hand how different therapy techniques, such as art therapy, can be combined with an individual’s care plan to give them as normal a life as possible. This placement gave me a valuable insight into the daily life of an occupational therapist and convinced me that I was making the right career choice.

During my time at college I was employed part time in a care home for the elderly as a kitchen assistant. This allowed me to become familiar with one of the environments that an occupational therapist could find themself in. My time at the care home also allowed me to see how different kinds of specialist equipment and therapy can be used to make a real difference to a patient’s life.

My time at school and college, as well as my part time work, has helped me to develop my communication and teamwork skills. I enjoy interacting with other people and meeting new people. I also enjoy learning about how the human brain works, which is why I studied Psychology and Sociology at A Level.

I hope that my time at university will enable to me to further understand how people interact with each other and develop the vital skills I need to become a good occupational therapist. I look forward to the new challenges life at university will bring.

University Guides

• Accommodation
• + much more!

Sign up for news & advice about applying to uni

• Universities
• Fees & Finance
• For Parents
• International Students
• Terms and Conditions

• Applying to Uni
• Apprenticeships
• Health & Relationships
• Money & Finance

Personal Statements

• Postgraduate
• U.S Universities

University Interviews

• Vocational Qualifications
• Accommodation
• ​​​​​​​Budgeting, Money & Finance
• ​​​​​​​Health & Relationships
• ​​​​​​​Jobs & Careers
• ​​​​​​​Socialising

Studying Abroad

• ​​​​​​​Studying & Revision
• ​​​​​​​Technology
• ​​​​​​​University & College Admissions

Guide to GCSE Results Day

Finding a job after school or college

Retaking GCSEs

In this section

Choosing GCSE Subjects

Post-GCSE Options

GCSE Work Experience

GCSE Revision Tips

Why take an Apprenticeship?

Applying for an Apprenticeship

Apprenticeships Interviews

Apprenticeship Wage

Engineering Apprenticeships

What is an Apprenticeship?

Choosing an Apprenticeship

Real Life Apprentices

Degree Apprenticeships

Higher Apprenticeships

A Level Results Day 2024

AS Levels 2024

Clearing Guide 2024

Applying to University

SQA Results Day Guide 2024

BTEC Results Day Guide

Vocational Qualifications Guide

Sixth Form or College

International Baccalaureate

Post 18 options

Finding a Job

Should I take a Gap Year?

Travel Planning

Volunteering

Gap Year Guide

Gap Year Blogs

Applying to Oxbridge

Applying to US Universities

Choosing a Degree

Choosing a University or College

Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Guide to Freshers' Week

Student Guides

Student Cooking

Student Blogs

Top Rated Personal Statements

Personal Statement Examples

Writing Your Personal Statement

Postgraduate Personal Statements

International Student Personal Statements

Gap Year Personal Statements

Personal Statement Length Checker

Personal Statement Examples By University

Personal Statement Changes 2025

Personal Statement Template

Job Interviews

Types of Postgraduate Course

Writing a Postgraduate Personal Statement

Postgraduate Funding

Postgraduate Study

Internships

Choosing A College

Ivy League Universities

Common App Essay Examples

Universal College Application Guide

How To Write A College Admissions Essay

College Rankings

Admissions Tests

Fees & Funding

Scholarships

Budgeting For College

Online Degree

Platinum Express Editing and Review Service

Gold Editing and Review Service

Silver Express Editing and Review Service

UCAS Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Oxbridge Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Postgraduate Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

You are here

Occupational therapy personal statement example 1.

I believe everyone deserves the best quality of life possible and that being able to complete everyday tasks is a part of this. It is easy to take these tasks for granted and not consider the affect an inability to complete them would have. I want to be an occupational therapist as I believe that, by teaching skills and adapting environments, you can have a positive impact on someone's life. I want the opportunity to make a difference by helping people gain independence and increase in confidence. I want to be part of such a rewarding and diverse career; working closely with people and helping them to progress.

I feel my subjects have given me a good basis for studying at degree level, requiring me to be logical and work to deadlines as well as teaching me research and evaluative skills. History and religious studies have taught me to look beyond the obvious and determine underlying factors. I particularly enjoy learning about ethics in religious studies, looking at people's moral beliefs and why they hold them, and achieved one hundred percent in my AS ethics exam. Health and social care has taught me about cells, tissues and organs as well as how body systems interrelate. The way the body works interests me and I hope to further develop this knowledge.

My health and social care course gave me the opportunity to complete two placements. My first was at Birchwood primary school where I supported children in lessons. The next was in a Caretech home for people with disabilities. I accompanied patients on outings, shadowed carers and assisted with a craft session designed to improve the service user's fine motor skills. I found the session very rewarding and hope to use similar activities in my future career. Both placements taught me to effectively communicate with people of all ages and abilities, as well as how to encourage and support people in tasks which help them be independent. These skills will help me form a better rapport with service users as an occupational therapist.

I organised my own work experience including a week at Southfield special needs school; assisting in lessons, particularly with reading. This gave me an insight into how different disabilities impacted on the lives of the children, for some it affected concentration whilst others were unable to hold a pen properly. I want the opportunity to work with people to overcome such problems. I also volunteered for sixty hours on a ward at my local hospital. I spent time talking to patients as well as completing administrative and housekeeping tasks and assisting with meal service. Many patients had dementia and communicating with them allowed me to use my empathy, patience and compassion as they were often confused and felt vulnerable. I received positive feedback from the ward manager, describing me as 'a very caring and pleasant girl' as well as 'a very good communicator' who 'always wears a smile'.

I work in retail which has given me experience of responsibility in a working environment, as well as using my initiative. I advise customers on the products that best suit their needs, giving me experience of building a rapport with people I have never met before. I use problem solving and an understanding of the customer's situation when dealing with complaints and returns.

I have been having singing lessons for eight years which has taught me dedication and increased my confidence. By scheduling lessons and preparing for music exams, whilst working, volunteering and studying, I have learnt to manage my time effectively and prioritise my commitments. Research has shown the positive effects music has on the brain and so I hope to incorporate my experience of singing into my work as an occupational therapist.

Overall I feel that my hobbies, studies and work experience have provided me with the skills to become a good occupational therapist. My hard working and caring nature will help me learn to support and improve the lives of service users.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by otstudent for application in 2013.

Degree Occupational Therapy at Oxford Brookes University

otstudent's Comments

Applied to: Northampton - Offer recieved Oxford Brookes - Offer accepted (I now attend) Derby - Offer recieved Canterbury - Offer recieved

This personal statement is unrated

Related Personal Statements

Add new comment.

Visit the Health Advisories website for the latest vaccination and mask information and to Report a Case.

Questions about FAFSA and CADAA?

Visit our Financial Aid and Scholarship Office for updated information, workshops and FAQs.

Department of Occupational Therapy

Instructions and Checklists

• Application Instructions [pdf]
• MSOT Application Checklist [pdf]
• OTD Application Checklist [pdf]

Volunteer Forms 

• MSOT Evaluation Form for Volunteer Experience [pdf]
• OTD Evaluation Form for Volunteer Experience [pdf]
• Right of Access to Volunteer Evaluation [pdf]

Items to be completed through OTCAS

• Hours, Evaluations and Recommendations [pdf] (MSOT & OTD)
• OTD Personal Statement [pdf]

Items to be submitted to the Department of Occupational Therapy at SJSU

• Right of Access Waiver Form [pdf]
• Sealed Volunteer Evaluations Forms for MSOT [pdf] and OTD [pdf] (with signature of person completing the form across the sealed part of the envelope) Note : The person who completes your Volunteer Evaluation Form cannot be the same person who writes your letter of reference.
• Personal Statement [pdf]

Items to be submitted to GAPE  

Applications to the University through GAPE is a separate process from application to the OT Program.  Items required and sent to GAPE do not come to the department.

• Submission of online application to SJSU Graduate Admissions & Program Evaluations (GAPE) - the application form is available at Cal State Apply NOTE : Your college/university official transcripts will be evaluated by Graduate Studies (GAPE) as a condition of acceptance to the University. If your degree program was conducted in a language other than English, you will also need to take an English proficiency exam such as the TOEFL or the IELTS. Go to this website for more information. You may also want to contact Jessica Hernandez at (408) 924-2406 if you have any questions about your Graduate Studies & Admissions application.

Mailing Information

Mail the completed forms to the Occupational Therapy Department

Online Application to the University via  Cal State Apply

• Prices/Payment
• Standard Service US$199.00
• VIP/Rush Service US$299.00
• Statement of Purpose Help
• Dr Robert Edinger, Personal Statement of Purpose Specialist
• Editing/Writing Service
• Guarantee/Privacy Policy
• Client Testimony
• Autobiographical
• Disadvantaged Status
• Letters of Recommendation

#header_text h2#site_subheading a, #header_text h2#site_subheading{ color:#000000 } @media (min-width: 650px) { #header_text h2#site_subheading a, #header_text h2#site_subheading{ } }

Statements of Excellence in Occupational Therapy

• Accountancy
• Agriculture
• Architecture
• Asian Studies
• Communications
• Computer Science
• Construction Management
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Ethnic Studies
• Food Science
• Gender Studies
• Graphic Design
• Hospitality
• Human Resources
• Information Systems
• International Relations
• Latin American Studies
• Law Enforcement
• Library & Information Science
• Linguistics
• Mathematics
• Media Studies
• Medical School
• Occupational Therapy
• Physician Assistant Studies
• Political Science
• Real Estate
• Religious Studies
• Security Studies
• Translation
• Veterinary Medicine
• Women's Studies

Occupational Therapy in Disaster Response

Premium Statement Service by Dr. Robert Edinger

Premium Service  US$299.00    

With maximum creativity, research as indicated, priority attention, and as many drafts as needed,

Dr Robert Edinger with Son David

[email protected]

1-812-675-4937

I help as many people as I can in the area of Occupational Therapy for a variety of reasons. I have found over the years drafting statements for applicants in OT that these clients are among the kindest people in the world. I admire their ethic of service. I also find Occupational Therapy relevant in special ways to my own academic field of Religion, especially with the emphasis on the importance of human dignity and spiritual fulfillment.

The Statement of Purpose letter is perfect. Wish me luck! Thank you again, I will recommend your services.

M.S. (Application for M.S. in Occupational Therapy, April 2011)

Occupational therapy is a health profession that was created over 90 years ago to help people of all ages help themselves participate in meaningful activities (occupations), to take care of themselves, be productive, learn, play and interact with others to the best of their abilities. Classes, labs, and internships are based on the belief that staying occupied and engaged is how people stay healthy, create their identity, participate in life, and feel good about themselves.

These programs will help you to integrate knowledge from both the arts and sciences and to assess and treat each individual client in a way that meets their individual needs and goals. You will learn how to promote health and well-being by helping people stay occupied in meaningful ways. You will learn how to become a leader among your colleagues and the public and how to help others to understand how occupation impacts health. You will have the opportunity to practice in various settings with people across the lifespan, with or without a disability or illness.

Search by Degree, Field, or Country of Origin

Most Recently Edited Samples

• Real Estate Finance Master's Degree, Hong Kong, China
• MS, Chinese, Statistics for Technological Advancement
• MS Construction Mgmt, Indian Applicant
• Graphic Design Master's, Art History Background
• PHD Health Sciences Informatics, Chinese
• PHD Economics, Policy Analysis, Chinese
• PHD Earth Sciences, Petroleum Engineering Nigeria
• Master’s Real Estate Development, Latino, Mexico
• Doctor of Special Education, Autism Spectrum
• Masters Real Estate, Los Angeles, Indian
• MS Real Estate, NYC, Harlem, African-American
• Master’s Statistics, Chinese Woman
• Master’s Global Business Journalism, Korean
• Undergraduate, Physics, Chinese
• Diversity Statement, Grad School, Hong Kong
• PHD Statistics, Biomedical Research, Korean
• PHD Epidemiology LOR, Chinese Doctor
• MS Accountancy, Bookkeeping, Vietnamese
• Certificate Program in Global Studies and IR, Mexican-American
• PHD Agricultural Economics, Bangladeshi
• Latin American Studies PHD, Central American
• LLM Masters, Scientist, Pharmacy Regulation
• MLIS, Women’s Studies Minor, LGBT
• MS Educational Administration California
• MS Computer Science, Software, Food & Drug

View older posts »

Samples of my Work in OT, Occupational Therapy & Closely Related Areas

• PHD OT, Developmentally Disabled Children
• PHD Physical Therapy, PT Assistant, American
• Accelerated MSc, OT, Occupational Therapy
• MA OT Occupational Therapy, Geriatrics

I want to help you get admitted to graduate school in Occupational Therapy

Many years ago as an undergraduate student at Indiana University, I enjoyed very much working with autistic adolescents, despite the great challenges involved. As a result, I especially appreciate the opportunity as a statement writer to help applicants to graduate school in OT to get accepted and to have fulfilling careers.

There are many excellent graduate programs in Occupational Therapy that will prepare you for a lifetime of distinguished service in OT, providing you with the knowledge, skills and value of lifelong learning to practice occupational therapy in customary and innovative ways within an ever-changing world. Throughout the course of your studies, you will become an exceptionally keen observers, active listener, creative strategist, critical thinker, resourceful leader and practical educator who helps people set and meet goals, overcome challenges and thrive in the face of adversity.

I began my studies in the humanities and social sciences, first thinking about psychology and ending up majoring in philosophy as an undergraduate student. Along the way, I had several work study jobs that made big impressions on my long term career development, including in the area of occupational therapy. I was employed for about one year for the Occupational and Developmental Training Center in Bloomington, Indiana. I went in at night in order to care for developmentally disabled adolescents, getting them up and rolling in the morning to greet their day, breakfast, toiletries, etc. One client in particular has proven to have etched out a most enduring memory in my mind. My client Tracy was 16 years old and built like a Sumari Warrior. She also had razor sharp teeth, all of which made her rather dangerous because she had the mental development of a 6-month-old baby. On my first day of work, within hours of my arrival, I found myself prying her mouth open to secure the release of the fingers of shrieking staff person whose fingers had been bitten to the bone.

It is our duty to make sure that Tracy’s life is fulfilling. Given what Tracy has to work with, this is no easy task. OT is a science and an art of its own with some of the greatest challenges in the world. I am convinced that this area of studies attracts applicants many if not most of whom have golden hearts and a passion for service to the weak and disabled, those who need them most. This is why it is a great pleasure and honor for me to help you in the drafting of a statement that is highly effective and will be successful at getting you admitted to the program of your choice in Occupational Therapy.

The Humanitarian Side of Occupational Therapy

Many, many American occupational therapists and physical therapists have volunteered in Haiti in clinics, hospitals, and through medical missions. They have come with varying tasks in mind and organized their trips through various different organizations.

While Haiti is a very appealing place to work, there is a common regret that therapists express when they return home—that they had to leave projects and therapy programs unfinished. 

Others regret that they didn't know enough about the lives of the Haitian people, they tried therapy approaches that did not work, or they didn't realize how they would be received.

Thankfully, things are changing in Haiti: little by little, big things are happening in the Haitian rehabilitation community. For example:

• Haiti now has a professional PT association, recognized by the government. There have about 24 members who are Haitian PTs with bachelor's degrees from foreign universities such as the Catholic University of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.
• The government of Haiti now has an agency that protects the rights of people with disabilities. The French acronym for the agency is SIEPH, meaning "the society for integration of people with handicaps”. They plan for the improved accessibility of buildings and access to jobs.
• The government of Haiti is planning to increase the size of the public health infrastructure. They will build public health clinics in rural areas and develop a health insurance system.
• Rehabilitation technician training programs have worked together to form a unified curriculum. They have applied to the government of Haiti for a certification process, including a certification exam.
• The first OT and PT academic degrees are now being offered at the Episcopal University of Haiti.

Building Rehab Education

A small group of U.S. faculty members are working now on building the curriculum for each program, which will meet the international standards for bachelor's degrees. 

A four-year programs is recommended as the minimum entry-level degree length by the World Federation of Occupational Therapy (although a three-year certificate would also meet the international standard for OT). A four-year bachelor's degree is also the minimum for physical therapy, as per the World Confederation of Physical Therapy.

In the U.S., a nonprofit foundation is now being formed to provide ongoing support for the Faculté Science Réhabilitation de Léogâne (FSRL). The nonprofit is called "Haiti Rehabilitation Foundation”. In addition, the Quinnipiac University of Hamden and North Haven, Connecticut, is working on a University Partnership agreement.

They will also develop agreements with fieldwork sites in Haiti, with professional supervision, to meet the WFOT and WCPT standards. Building a positive working relationship with clinical affiliation sites will bear fruit in job openings for the new graduates in 2018.  The intention of the UNEPH/FSRL program is to move to an all-Haitian faculty. Master's level OT and PT degrees will need to be developed as well to achieve this.

In the meantime, there are plenty of opportunities to explore humanitarian work through organizations like Doctors without Borders, Handicap International, Helen Keller International, HelpAge International, International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Check them out and let us know if you need a personal statement or other document to ensure your success!

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Scalability, test–retest reliability and validity of the brief inspire-o measure of personal recovery in psychiatric services.

• 1 Psychotherapeutic Center Stolpegård, Region Hovedstad Psychiatry, København, Denmark
• 2 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
• 3 Department of Trauma and Torture Survivors, Mental Health Services of Southern Denmark, Vejle, Denmark
• 4 Mental Health Services in the Region of Southern Denmark, Vejle, Denmark
• 5 Psychiatric Research Unit, Psychiatry Region Zealand, Slagelse, Denmark
• 6 Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
• 7 Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Nord University, Bodø, Norway
• 8 Danish Psychological Publishing, Copenhagen, Denmark
• 9 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Introduction: Mental health services have transitioned from treating symptoms to emphasizing personal recovery. Despite its importance, integrating personal recovery into clinical practice remains work in progress. This study evaluates the psychometric qualities of the Brief INSPIRE-O, a five-item patient-reported outcome measure assessing personal recovery.

Method: The study collected data from 2018 to 2020 at the Mental Health Services, Capital Region of Denmark, using an internet-based system examining 8,192 non-psychotic patients – receiving outpatient treatment.

Materials: This study evaluated the Brief INSPIRE-O and used measures of symptomatology (SCL-10), well-being (WHO-5), and social functioning (modified SDS).

Results: The study population comprised 76.8% females with a mean age of 32.9 years, and diagnoses included anxiety (28%), depression (34%), and personality disorder (19%). The mean Brief INSPIRE-O score (39.9) was lower than the general population norm (71.1). The Brief INSPIRE-O showed acceptable test–retest reliability (0.75), scalability (0.39), and internal consistency (0.73). Correlations with other mental health criteria were in the expected direction for symptomatology (−0.46), well-being (0.60), and social functioning (−0.43) and remained consistent across diagnoses.

Discussion: The Brief INSPIRE-O demonstrated strong psychometric qualities and could be recommended as a measure of personal recovery for use in both research and clinical practice. Its strong theoretical basis and short completion time make it suitable for use for research. Incorporating Brief INSPIRE-O into clinical assessment will further support the process of mental health systems re-orientating towards personal recovery.

1 Introduction

The Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2030 by the World Health Organization (WHO) acts as a blueprint, aiding nations in implementing a person-centered, rights-based mental health strategy with an emphasis on personal recovery ( 1 ). Complementing this, the 2022 World Mental Health Report strongly advocates for further prioritizing personal recovery as the process of reclaiming a meaningful life against the backdrop of mental health challenges ( 2 , 3 ). This can be achieved by empowering individuals to understand and control their own lives ( 4 ). Furthermore, the 2021 WHO Guidance on Community Mental Health Services offers insights and examples of aligning community-based services with international human rights standards, again promoting personal recovery ( 5 ). This agenda is aimed at empowering individuals living with mental health issues to renew hope and commitment, redefine identity, integrate illness into everyday life, promote involvement in activities, and provide social support and support for reintegration in the community ( 6 – 8 ).

Despite this, mental health services in many countries have predominantly concentrated on alleviating symptoms and managing mental health disorders. However, there is increasing consensus that personal recovery should be a key therapeutic objective and outcome within the mental health realm ( 9 , 10 ). This evolving perspective indicates that individuals with mental health issues can realize substantial enhancements in their overall well-being, even if symptoms persist or still fit the diagnostic criteria for specific mental disorders ( 11 – 14 ). Notably, while the mental health discipline has started emphasizing personal recovery alongside traditional clinical objectives ( 15 – 18 ), there is still a significant need to further align routine clinical practices with the WHO’s recommendations ( 19 ). Therefore, it is recommended that service evaluation criteria incorporate indicators for the successful integration of personal recovery ( 20 , 21 ).

Given the transition in the mental health landscape, it is important to have tools that can effectively measure personal recovery. However, a significant obstacle to advancing a recovery-focused approach in psychiatry is the scarcity of scientifically validated brief measures that can be easily implemented in busy clinical practice. The self-report measure Brief INSPIRE-O is specifically designed as an outcome scale to assess personal recovery within the context of mental health, where the “O” signifies its focus on outcomes.

Brief INSPIRE-O was adapted from the Brief INSPIRE (see details about the modifications in the Methods section), a patient-rated experience measure of staff support for personal recovery ( 22 ), based on the CHIME framework. CHIME identified five processes involved in recovery: Connectedness, Hope, Identity, Meaning, and Empowerment. The CHIME Framework was developed through a systematic review ( 10 ), and was then validated by current mental health service users ( 23 ) and cross-culturally ( 9 ). Brief INSPIRE and the more comprehensive INSPIRE measure are widely used widespread internationally and have been translated from the original English version into 27 languages (researchintorecovery.com/inspire).

This article presents a validation of the Brief INSPIRE-O, which is important for several reasons. First, it acknowledges the importance of personal recovery as a distinct and meaningful treatment target. Second, the findings may contribute to the advancement of personal recovery in mental health by providing clinicians, researchers, and policymakers with reliable and valid measurement tools for assessing personal recovery outcomes. Third, the development of a valid and reliable measure can facilitate the systematic collection of data on personal recovery from a variety of clinical settings, thereby contributing to expanding knowledge about personal recovery across a range of mental health problems.

This study evaluated the psychometric qualities of the Brief INSPIRE-O, including its reliability, scalability, and validity. A critical aspect of a measure’s psychometric qualities is test–retest reliability, investigating the measure’s stability and resistance to random measurement errors. Another aspect of psychometric validation is assessing the scalability of the measure. Mokken analysis is a probabilistic nonparametric approach that evaluates the scalability and hierarchical structure of items within a measure without making strict assumptions on the item response functions, as required by parametric item response theory methods, such as the Rasch model ( 24 , 25 ). Using Mokken analysis, our study provides valuable insights into the Brief INSPIRE-O measure, highlighting the relative intensity of the items and their ability to discriminate between individuals along the recovery continuum. To investigate the degree to which the items of the Brief INSPIRE-O cohere, we analyzed their internal reliability. Finally, evaluating the construct validity of a scale involves determining how closely it aligns with other theoretically relevant constructs. The Brief-INSPIRE-O measure was expected to be positively associated with well-being, encapsulating an individual’s overall quality of life, as indexed by the World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) ( 26 ). Furthermore, it was expected that Brief INSPIRE-O would have very small or negative associations with symptomatology (The Symptom Check List; SCL-10) and poor social functioning (Modified Shehan Disability Scale; SDS).

2.1 Study setting

The current paper utilized data from the Mental Health Services, Capital Region of Denmark (MHS-CR) which is the largest mental health service in Denmark, covering a catchment area of 1.85 million people with nine psychiatric treatment sites. In Denmark, psychiatric treatment in the secondary health sector is organized in treatment packages that specify relevant evidence-based treatments for specific diagnoses ( 27 , 28 ). To monitor treatment effects, the MHS-CR developed an Internet-based monitoring system (IMS) that collects data pre- and post-treatment for all patients with non-psychotic disorders receiving treatment in a treatment package.

2.2 Participants and procedure

Initially, the patients underwent screening at a central visitation unit before being referred to the treatment site. At the treatment sites, psychiatrists and psychologists diagnose patients as part of routine clinical practice. All patients accepted for treatment for a range of mental health problems (including depression, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders) completed assessments using an Internet-based monitoring system (IMS) and were included in the study. Patients with psychotic disorders were not included in the monitoring system.

For the measurement of test–retest reliability, a subgroup of 61 participants was administered the Brief INSPIRE-O measure again 2–3 weeks after the first test. All data were recorded and stored according to the regional and national guidelines. The current study included all full pre-treatment datasets from the IMS between 1 March 2018 and 1 March 2020, leaving a dataset of 8,192 patients for inclusion in the study.

2.3 Materials

The Brief INSPIRE was modified to a patient-rated outcome measure called Brief INSPIRE-O. For each of the five items, the Brief INSPIRE item ‘My worker helps me with…’ was altered to leave out the reference to support from a professional. For example, ‘ My worker helps me feel supported by other people ’ was modified to ‘ I feel supported by other people. ’ Brief INSPIRE-O has the same scoring as Brief INSPIRE: rating is made on a 5-point Likert scale with (0) not at all, (1) not much, (2) somewhat, (3) quite a lot, and (4) very much, and the total scale scores are multiplied by 5 to range from 0 (low recovery) to 100. The 5-item Brief INSPIRE-O scale was translated into Danish, back-translated, and adapted to a PROM ( 29 ). In addition to Danish, it is available in Bosnian, Dutch, English, and Spanish languages. In a population study among Danish citizens, Moeller et al. ( 29 ) reported an internal consistency for Brief INSPIRE-O of 0.83 and a mean score of 71.1 with a standard deviation of 19.5. Moreover, Brief INSPIRE-O was positively correlated with the number of self-reported social contacts ( r = 0.26) and self-reported general health ( r = 0.54).

To measure the symptom burden, the SCL-10 ( 30 ) was used. The SCL-10 comprises five depression and five anxiety items from the SCL-90-R ( 31 ), which is a 90-item self-report symptom inventory that assesses psychological symptoms and distress. The total scale scores of the SCL-10 are multiplied by 2.5, ranging from 0 (low symptom load) to 100. The SCL-10 is a valid and reliable measure of symptom change in patients receiving treatment for depression or anxiety disorders ( 30 ).

For assessing subjective psychological well-being, WHO-5 was used. It is a self-report rating scale consisting of five positively phrased items scored on a Likert scale ranging 5 (all of the time) to 0 (none of the time). The total scale scores were multiplied by four to range from 0 (low well-being) to 100 (high well-being). The WHO-5 demonstrates good construct validity, and the scale was found to be a reliable indicator of subjective well-being across different settings and diagnoses and is sensitive in capturing improvements in well-being ( 32 ).

Measuring social functioning, the modified SDS ( 33 ), a three-item, self-report global measure assessing work/studies, social life, and family life, was used. Disruption due to symptom burden was rated from 0 (not at all) to 10 (extremely) on each of the areas of functioning, resulting in a total scale score ranging from 0 (low disability) to 30 (severe disability). The scale has demonstrated strong psychometric qualities, including its ability to discriminate between active and inactive treatments ( 34 ).

2.4 Data analysis

The study population was described in terms of sex, age, and primary diagnosis. To analyze the test–retest reliability of the Brief-INSPIRE-O, a mixed effects model of the Brief-INSPIRE-O scale against time with repeated measurements of the same patient was performed. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) with 95% confidence interval was calculated from the variance components of the model. ICC values greater than 0.90 are regarded as excellent reliability, values between 0.75 and 0.90 as good reliability, and values between 0.50 and 0.75 as moderate reliability.

A non-parametric Mokken analysis of the Brief INSPIRE-O was conducted to investigate the properties of the individual items according to the total scale ( 25 ) For each item, trace lines were visually inspected, and the monotonicity criterion was calculated to assess the assumption of monotonicity. A maximum value below 40 across all items of the monotonicity criterion is regarded as acceptable. Further, we examined whether the item difficulty was invariant for all values of the total scale by inspecting the estimated probabilities of ordering all pairs of the five Brief INSPIRE-O items for all values of the total scale. Finally, the scalability of the Brief INSPIRE-O items and the total scale was measured using Loevinger’s coefficient of homogeneity ( H ), which is defined as H  = 1- “number of observed Guttman’s errors”/”number of expected Guttman’s errors” ( 35 , 36 ). A Guttman error occurs when a participant scores less on an item with low difficulty than on one with high difficulty. Values of H at 0.40 or higher are regarded as clear indication of scalability, values between 0.30 and 0.39 as acceptable, and values between 0.20 and 0.29 as questionable. The doubly monotonicity homogeneous model of Brief INSPIRE-O may be assumed if the monotonicity assumption is satisfied, the order of item difficulty is invariant for all values of the total scale, and scalability is acceptable.

Summary statistics (mean, standard error, median, and interquartile range) were calculated for the Brief INSPIRE-O and the mental health scales SCL-10, WHO-5, and SDS. The internal consistency of each scale was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha ( 37 ) and McDonald’s omega [based on confirmatory factor analysis and estimated using maximum likelihood ( 38 )]. Values of internal consistency above 0.9 are regarded as excellent, values between 0.80 and 0.90 as good, values between 0.70 and 0.80 acceptable, values between 0.60 and 0.70 as questionable, values between 0.50 and 0.60 as poor, and values below 0.50 as unacceptable.

Finally, to examine convergent and divergent validity across treatment diagnoses, Pearson’s correlations between the Brief INSPIRE-O and the mental health scales SCL-10, WHO-5, and SDS were calculated for the total sample and separately for each diagnosis.

All analyses were performed using Stata version 18.0. A two-sided significance level of 5% was used.

The clinical characteristics of the study participants are presented in Table 1 . More than three-quarters of the patients were females, and the most prevalent diagnoses were depression (33.7%) and anxiety (27.6%).

Table 1 Participant characteristics at baseline (n = 8,192).

3.1 Test–retest reliability

The test–retest reliability of Brief Inspire-O was evaluated on a subsample of the study population (n = 61); the reliabilities of the total scale as well as all single items were moderate, ranging between 0.50 and 0.75 (see Table 2 ).

Table 2 Test–retest reliability of Brief INSPIRE-O (n = 61).

The highest test–retest reliability ICCs were for item 2 (“I have hopes and dreams for the future”; 0.71) and item 3 (“I feel good about myself”; 0.74), while the other three items ranged from 0.50 to 0.54 (see Table 2 ).

3.2 Scalability

Visual inspection of item trace lines (not shown) and a maximum monotonicity criterion of 22 (Item 1), well below the threshold of 40, indicated that the monotonicity assumption was satisfied. Additionally, the assumption of invariance of item difficulty for all values of the Brief-INSPIRE-O was satisfied, with no violations of the assumption (not shown). Finally, the scalability assumption was satisfied with scale- H = 0.39 > 0.30, and no item- H  < 0.30.

The highest scalability scores were for item 3 (“I feel good about myself;” H = 0.429) and item 4 (“I do things that mean something to me;” H = 0.431), while the lowest was for item 1 (“I feel supported by other people;” H = 0.302). The highest mean score was for item 1 (“I feel supported by other people,” mean = 2.32, difficulty = 0.045), and the lowest was for item 5 (“I feel in control of my life”; mean = 0.93, difficulty = 0.389). The order of difficulty for the Brief-INSPIRE-O measure was from the most difficult to the least: Items 5, 3, 2, 4, and 1 (see Table 3 ).

Table 3 Mokken analysis of Brief-INSPIRE-O (n = 8,192).

3.3 Internal consistency and descriptive statistics of all scales

Internal consistency for the measures were all acceptable with Cronbach’s alpha ranging between 0.73 (Brief INSPIRE-O) and 0.81 (WHO-5) (see Table 4 ).

Table 4 Summary statistics and internal consistency of all scales at baseline.

3.4 Convergent and divergent validity

All correlations were stable across treatment diagnoses ( Table 5 ). The results of the correlations with the Brief Inspire-O across different diagnoses showed a stronger negative correlation with the SCL-10 than expected ranging from −0.410 for personality disorder to −0.516 for PTSD, and for the modified SDS ranging from −0.374 for personality disorder to −0.436 for anxiety. The expected positive correlation between Brief Inspire-O and WHO-5 was strongest for personality disorder (0.567) and weakest for depression (0.546).

Table 5 Convergent and divergent validity of Brief INSPIRE-O stratified by diagnosis.

4 Discussion

In this study, Brief INSPIRE-O displayed strong psychometric qualities. Good scalability and satisfactory internal consistency indicate that it is reliable. Its moderate test–retest reliability is comparable to that of other measures of personal recovery ( 39 ). The higher test-retest ICCs for Items 2 (“I have hopes and dreams for the future”) and 3 (“I feel good about myself”) compared to the other three items indicate higher stability, suggesting that these two items may be relatively more resistant to change. The pattern seen for Item 1 (“I feel supported by other people “) exhibit the highest mean score and lowest difficulty, yet a relatively low test–retest reliability and the lowest scalability score, could suggest a distinctiveness from the other items, which is further underscored by it being the only item that incorporates the mention of other people in its wording. Interestingly, the items ranked as the most difficult pertained to one’s sense of agency and self-worth. Specifically, Item 5 (“I feel in control of my life “) and Item 3 (“I feel good about myself “) indicate that feelings of autonomy and positive self-regard are the most challenging to attain for patients with non-psychotic disorders. Notably, the correlations between Brief INSPIRE-O and other recognized mental health criteria validated its role in assessing personal recovery, including evidence of both convergent and divergent validity. The consistency of correlations across treatment diagnoses underscores the robustness of the Brief INSPIRE-O measure. However, the strong negative correlation between SCL-10 and PTSD might suggest a weaker association between personal recovery and distress in PTSD. Similarly, the pronounced negative relationship with the modified SDS for anxiety could indicate a lesser link between personal recovery and function in anxiety compared to other diagnoses. Conversely, the strongest positive correlation with the WHO-5 for personality disorders and lowest for depression could suggest that personal recovery and well-being align best among personality disorders and least among patients with depression. Consistent with the understanding that personal recovery is often diminished in persons with mental health issues, the Brief INSPIRE-O’s average score was notably lower in this treatment-seeking population than in the general population’s mean of 71 ( 29 ).

4.1 Implications for modern psychiatric care

Given its strong psychometric qualities, the Brief INSPIRE-O can be adopted in both clinical and research settings. By implementing this measure in clinical trials or evaluations, researchers can gain insight into how interventions influence personal recovery, especially when used with complementary qualitative methodologies such as diary studies ( 40 ). This knowledge can guide clinicians towards designing treatment plans that prioritize holistic, person-centered care, ensuring a comprehensive approach to mental well-being. Its use in clinical practice could potentially improve the assessment and monitoring of mental health conditions with treatment planning and patient care oriented towards personal recovery ( 41 ). At an individual level, a clinician can collaborate with a patient to identify the areas of the CHIME framework that are most significant to that particular patient. Through open dialogue and active listening, clinicians can understand the patient’s unique needs and preferences. Together, they can prioritize these aspects and develop a tailored intervention plan that specifically targets the areas of the CHIME framework that are most important to the patient’s personal recovery journey. This collaborative approach ensures that the treatment plan aligns with the patient’s goals and promotes a sense of empowerment and ownership during the recovery process.

Finally, the Brief INSPIRE-O is brief enough to be administered for continuous outcome measurement ( 42 ) and has the potential to be included in internationally agreed standards for quality and outcome monitoring ( 43 ).

4.2 Strengths and limitations

A strength of this study is the large and diverse sample, offering comprehensive insight into the performance of the Brief INSPIRE-O in various mental health disorders. However, the psychometric adequacy of the Brief INSPIRE-O when used in patients with psychosis remains to be evaluated. Future research should aim to further explore the qualities of the Brief INSPIRE-O in different populations and settings, and extend the test–retest analysis to a larger sample. Studies using a longitudinal design to measure changes over time are crucial. Finally, because the importance of personal recovery is a global agenda, it would also be helpful to conduct an international validation study on Brief INSPIRE-O, considering its availability in various language versions.

5 Conclusions

In summary, the Brief INSPIRE-O exhibits strong psychometric qualities, making it a reliable tool for assessing personal recovery in mental health care across a range of clinical disorders. Its scalability, internal consistency, and moderate test–retest reliability contribute to its credibility. While certain items demonstrated higher stability and others revealed distinct patterns, correlations with established mental health criteria validated their role in assessing personal recovery.

A wider implementation of this measure may have significant implications for modern psychiatric care, enabling informed clinical decisions and guiding research. The brief administration time facilitates continuous outcome measurement and potential inclusion in international standards for quality and outcome monitoring. However, further international evaluation in diverse populations and settings are necessary to confirm its utility and reliability.

Data availability statement

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Ethics statement

The studies involving humans were approved the institutional review board of the Mental Health Service, Capital Region, Denmark. The studies were conducted in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. Written informed consent for participation was not required from the participants or the participants’ legal guardians/next of kin because it was a retrospective study without contact to participating patients.

Author contributions

SM: Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Methodology, Project administration, Writing – original draft. PL: Formal analysis, Methodology, Writing – review & editing. SA: Conceptualization, Writing – review & editing. MS: Writing – review & editing. IA: Writing – review & editing. MA: Formal analysis, Writing – review & editing. SS: Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Methodology, Project administration, Writing – review & editing.

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This research was funded by the Capital Region Psychiatry, Denmark.

Acknowledgments

We used the ChatGPT-4 model developed by OpenAI to help improve the language of this manuscript. We entered our initial drafts of sections of the text into ChatGPT-4 and used its suggestions to make our writing clearer and more concise. The research team thoroughly reviewed and edited all text generated by ChatGPT-4 to ensure the integrity and authenticity of our work. MS acknowledges the support of the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

1. WHO. Comprehensive mental health action plan 2013–2030 . Geneva: World Health Organization. (2021).

Google Scholar

2. Slade M. What is recovery? In: Slade M, editor. Personal Recovery and Mental Illness: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals. Values-Based Practice . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2017). p. 35–44.

3. Anthony WA. Recovery from mental illness: the guiding vision of the mental health service system in the 1990s. Psychosocial Rehabil J . (1993) 16:11. doi: 10.1037/h0095655

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

4. WHO. World mental health report: transforming mental health for all . Geneva: World Health Organization (2022).

5. WHO. Guidance on community mental health services: promoting person-centred and rights-based approaches . World Health Organization (2021).

6. Stylianidis S, Lavdas M, Markou K, Belekou P. The recovery model and modern psychiatric care: conceptual perspective, critical approach and practical application. In: Stylianidis S, editor. Social and Community Psychiatry: Towards a Critical, Patient-Oriented Approach . Springer International Publishing, Cham (2016). p. 145–65.

7. Ragins M, Sunkel C. The recovery model and other rehabilitative approaches. In: Tasman A, Riba MB, Alarcón RD, Alfonso CA, Kanba S, Ndetei DM, editors. Tasman’s Psychiatry . Springer International Publishing, Cham (2020). p. 1–47.

8. Jaiswal A, Carmichael K, Gupta S, Siemens T, Crowley P, Carlsson A, et al. Essential elements that contribute to the recovery of persons with severe mental illness: A systematic scoping study. Front Psychiatry . (2020) 11:586230. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.586230

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

9. Slade M, Leamy M, Bacon F, Janosik M, Le Boutillier C, Williams J, et al. International differences in understanding recovery: systematic review. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci . (2012) 21:353–64. doi: 10.1017/S2045796012000133

10. Leamy M, Bird V, Le Boutillier C, Williams J, Slade M. Conceptual framework for personal recovery in mental health: systematic review and narrative synthesis. Br J Psychiatry . (2011) 199:445–52. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.110.083733

11. Van Eck RM, Burger TJ, Vellinga A, Schirmbeck F, de Haan L. The relationship between clinical and personal recovery in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull . (2017) 44:631–42. doi: 10.1093/schbul/sbx088

12. Macpherson R, Pesola F, Leamy M, Bird V, Le Boutillier C, Williams J, et al. The relationship between clinical and recovery dimensions of outcome in mental health. Schizophr Res . (2016) 175:142–7. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2015.10.031

13. Best MW, Law H, Pyle M, Morrison AP. Relationships between psychiatric symptoms, functioning and personal recovery in psychosis. Schizophr Res . (2020) 223:112–8. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2020.06.026

14. Leendertse J, Wierdsma A, Van Den Berg D, Ruissen A, Slade M, Castelein S, et al. Personal recovery in people with a psychotic disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of associated factors. Front Psychiatry . (2021) 12:622628. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.622628

15. Slade M, Amering M, Farkas M, Hamilton B, O’Hagan M, Panther G, et al. Uses and abuses of recovery: implementing recovery-oriented practices in mental health systems. World Psychiatry . (2014) 13:12–20. doi: 10.1002/wps.v13.1

16. Fava GA, Cosci F, Sonino N. Current psychosomatic practice. Psychother Psychosomatics . (2017) 86:13–30. doi: 10.1159/000448856

17. Guidi J, Fava GA. The emerging role of euthymia in psychotherapy research and practice. Clin Psychol Rev . (2020) 101941. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101941

18. Cuijpers P. Measuring success in the treatment of depression: what is most important to patients? Expert Rev Neurother . (2020) 20:123–5. doi: 10.1080/14737175.2020.1712807

19. Davidson L, Roe D, Tondora J. Concept and model of recovery. Schizophrenia Treatment outcomes: an evidence-based approach to recovery. Chapter 7 Concept and model of recovery In Springer Nature Switzerland, Cham (2020) 57–70. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-19847-3

20. Slade M. Measuring recovery in mental health services. Israel J Psychiatry Related Sci . (2010) 47:206–12.

21. Onken SJ, Dumont JM, Ridgway P, Dornan DH, Ralph RO. Mental health recovery: What helps and what hinders? A national research project for the development of recovery facilitating system performance indicators. Prepared for National Technical Assistance Center for State Mental Health Planning, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors . Alexandria, VA: National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC) (2002).

22. Williams J, Leamy M, Bird V, Le Boutillier C, Norton S, Pesola F, et al. Development and evaluation of the INSPIRE measure of staff support for personal recovery. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol . (2015) 50:777–86. doi: 10.1007/s00127-014-0983-0

23. Bird V, Leamy M, Tew J, Le Boutillier C, Williams J, Slade M. Fit for purpose? Validation of a conceptual framework for personal recovery with current mental health consumers. Aust New Z J Psychiatry . (2014) 48:644–53. doi: 10.1177/0004867413520046

24. Van Schuur WH. Mokken scale analysis: Between the Guttman scale and parametric item response theory. Political Analysis . (2003) 11:139–63. doi: 10.1093/pan/mpg002

25. Mokken RJ. A theory and procedure of scale analysis. A theory and procedure of scale analysis: De Gruyter Mouton . Mouton (2011).

26. Dell NA, Long C, Mancini MA. Models of mental health recovery: An overview of systematic reviews and qualitative meta-syntheses. Psychiatr Rehabil J . (2021) 44:238. doi: 10.1037/prj0000444

27. Nordentoft M, Krantz MF, Hageman I. Right-based mental health care—Advantages of tax-financed universal mental health care: lessons from Denmark. JAMA Psychiatry . (2022) 79:7–8. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.3167

28. Scharff FB, Lau ME, Gondan M, Folke S, Arendt IMT, Moeller SB. Evaluation of a standardized posttraumatic stress disorder treatment framework in routine mental health care: Effectiveness and predictors of treatment outcome in a consecutive sample. J Traumatic Stress . (2022) 35(3):827–38. doi: 10.1002/jts.22790

29. Moeller SB, Gondan M, Austin SF, Slade M, Simonsen S. National norms of mental health for Denmark. Nordic J Psychiatry . (2023) 77.6:617–23. doi: 10.1080/08039488.2023.2202637

30. Bech P, Austin SF, Lau ME. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs): examination of the psychometric properties of two measures for burden of symptoms and quality of life in patients with depression or anxiety. Nordic J Psychiatry . (2018) 72:251–8. doi: 10.1080/08039488.2018.1451918

31. Derogatis LR, Savitz KL. In M. E. Maruish (Ed.), The use of psychological testing for treatment planning and outcomes assessment (2nd ed., pp. 679–724). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers. (1999).

32. Topp CW, Østergaard SD, Søndergaard S, Bech P. The WHO-5 Well-Being Index: a systematic review of the literature. Psychother Psychosomatics . (2015) 84:167–76. doi: 10.1159/000376585

33. Sheehan D. Sheehan disability scale. Handb Psychiatr Measures . (1983) 2:100–2.

34. Sheehan KH, Sheehan DV. Assessing treatment effects in clinical trials with the discan metric of the Sheehan Disability Scale. Int Clin Psychopharmacol . (2008) 23:70–83. doi: 10.1097/YIC.0b013e3282f2b4d6

35. Molenaar I, Sijtsma K. Internal consistency and reliability in Mokken’s nonparametric item response model. Tijdschrift Voor Onderwijs Res . (1984) 9:257–68.

36. Stochl J, Jones PB, Croudace TJ. Mokken scale analysis of mental health and well-being questionnaire item responses: a non-parametric IRT method in empirical research for applied health researchers. BMC Med Res Methodol . (2012) 12:1–16. doi: 10.1186/1471-2288-12-74

37. Cronbach LJ. Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika . (1951) 16:297–334. doi: 10.1007/BF02310555

38. Hayes AF, Coutts JJ. Use omega rather than Cronbach’s alpha for estimating reliability. But…. Communication Methods and Measures. (2020) 14(1):1–24. doi: 10.1080/19312458.2020.1718629

39. Williams J, Leamy M, Pesola F, Bird V, Le Boutillier C, Slade M. Psychometric evaluation of the Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery (QPR). Br J Psychiatry . (2015) 207:551–5. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.114.161695

40. Wyder M, Roennfeldt H, Parker S, Vilic G, McCann K, Ehrlich C, et al. Diary of a Mental health peer worker: Findings from a diary study into the role of peer work in a clinical mental health setting. Front Psychiatry . (2020) 11:587656. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.587656

41. Roe D, Slade M, Jones N. The utility of patient-reported outcome measures in mental health. World Psychiatry . (2022) 21:56. doi: 10.1002/wps.20924

42. Lutz W, Rubel J, Deisenhofer AK, Moggia D. Continuous outcome measurement in modern data-informed psychotherapies. World Psychiatry . (2022) 21:215. doi: 10.1002/wps.20988

43. De Bienassis K, Kristensen S, Hewlett E, Roe D, Mainz J, Klazinga N. Patient-reported indicators in mental health care: towards international standards among members of the OECD. Int J Qual Health Care . (2022) 34:ii7–ii12. doi: 10.1093/intqhc/mzab020

Keywords: mental health, psychometrics, INSPIRE, personal recovery, transdiagnostic, Mokken, CHIME, Patient Reported Outcome Measure (PROM)

Citation: Moeller SB, Larsen PV, Austin S, Slade M, Arendt I-MTP, Andersen MS and Simonsen S (2024) Scalability, test–retest reliability and validity of the Brief INSPIRE-O measure of personal recovery in psychiatric services. Front. Psychiatry 15:1327020. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1327020

Received: 24 October 2023; Accepted: 29 April 2024; Published: 14 May 2024.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2024 Moeller, Larsen, Austin, Slade, Arendt, Andersen and Simonsen. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Stine Bjerrum Moeller, [email protected]

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.