Brief Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP®) as a mental health self-management tool for community adults in Hong Kong: A randomized controlled trial

Winnie W S Mak; Emily W S Tsoi; Henry C Y Wong

doi:10.1080/09638237.2022.2069723

Brief Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP^®) as a mental health self-management tool for community adults in Hong Kong: A randomized controlled trial

J Ment Health. 2022 May 4:1-8. doi: 10.1080/09638237.2022.2069723. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Winnie W S Mak¹, Emily W S Tsoi¹, Henry C Y Wong¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.

PMID: 35506470
DOI: 10.1080/09638237.2022.2069723

Abstract

Background: Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP^®) is a recovery-oriented program designed for people with mental illness to improve well-being and self-manage symptoms.

Aims: This randomized controlled trial investigates the effectiveness of brief Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP^®) as a mental health self-management tool for adults without formal clinical diagnoses in Hong Kong.

Methods: 182 adults were randomly assigned to WRAP^® or waitlist control condition to investigate whether WRAP^® can promote mental well-being and reduce psychological distress for community adults with no known diagnosable mental disorders.

Results: Significant improvements were found in depressive (η_p² = .11) and anxiety symptoms (η_p² = .06), empowerment (η_p² = .09), and personal recovery (η_p² = .11) among WRAP^® participants compared with waitlist control participants. Moreover, changes in anxiety symptoms, hope, empowerment, and reliance on others were found to sustain at 3-month follow-up.

Conclusions: Brief WRAP^® is an effective self-management tool in enhancing mental health and alleviating psychological distress for millennials living in the community.

Keywords: WRAP®; adults; mental health; self-management.