Generativity Among People With Lived Experience of Mental Illness and Distress

Public Policy Relevance Statement By contributing toward the betterment of others, communities, and future generations, people can find new meaning in life and purpose. However, little research has examined the types of helping behaviors people with mental illness engage in and how these behaviors support people's recovery from mental health problems. This study shows that people with mental illness contribute in a wide variety of ways, and doing so helps them recover. Generativity refers to the contributions that people make toward the betterment of others, communities, and future generations. Engaging in generativity may add purpose and meaning to one's life, elements which people with mental illness often feel is relevant for their recovery. Despite its importance, what is known about how people with mental health problems engage in generativity, and the relationship between generativity and recovery is unclear. Addressing this knowledge gap may inform recovery-oriented interventions; and may help shift stigmatizing views that people with mental illnesses are a burden on society. This study explored generativity and its relationship to recovery among people with mental illnesses. The objectives were evaluated using a mixed methods sequential explanatory design over two phases. During the quantitative phase, participants completed questionnaires measuring generativity, recovery, and distress. During the qualitative phase, participants interpreted and elaborated upon the quantitative results. Phase one participants endorsed many items reflecting generativity. Generativity was correlated with overall recovery scores, as well as with domains reflecting no domination by symptoms (r = .32), a willingness to ask for help (r = .46), and personal confidence and hope (r = .48). Phase two participants discussed how the quantitative results resonated with their own experiences; their own generative behaviors, which included ephemeral and concrete forms of generativity; and how engaging in generativity improved their recovery. People with lived experience of mental illness make important contributions to the lives of other people and their communities; and these contributions can support recovery.