Abstract

Objectives: To explore the changes between before and after residential psychiatric rehabilitation in functioning and psychiatric symptoms in young adults with severe mental disorders. Method: Participants (n = 39) were aged 18‐29 and had been in residential psychiatric rehabilitation for the period 2011‐2017. We gathered data retrospectively from clinical registers, day-to-day records, rehabilitation plans and interRAI community mental health evaluations. Changes in several outcomes of functioning and psychiatric symptoms were analysed in young adults with severe mental disorders at the end of rehabilitation. Results: Median length of rehabilitation was 29 months. Symptoms of depression (p=0.001), mania (p=0.009), negative symptoms (p=0.017), anhedonia (p=0.012), the risk of harming others (p=0.010) and severity of self-harm (p= 0.015) had decreased from before to end of rehabilitation. In addition, performance in activities of daily living (p=0.016) had improved and the number of persons living independently had increased (p=0.001). Conclusions: Psychiatric rehabilitation may be effective in decreasing psychiatric symptoms, improving functioning and increasing independent living among young adults with severe mental disorders. These results support the need for comprehensive psychiatric rehabilitation with evidence-based interventions. This important research area requires further investigation with larger sample sizes, prospective study settings and longer follow-up times.