Recovery Assessment Scale 1 Running head: RECOVERY ASSESSMENT SCALE Examining the Factor Structure of the Recovery Assessment Scale

This paper follows-up earlier research examining the factor structure of a measure of recovery from serious mental illness. 1824 persons with serious mental illness, participating in the baseline interview for a multi-state study on consumer operated services, completed the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS) plus measures representing hope, meaningful life, quality of life, symptoms, and empowerment. Results of exploratory and subsequent confirmatory factor analyses of the RAS for random halves of the sample yielded five factors: personal confidence and hope; willingness to ask for help; goal and success orientation; reliance on others; and symptom coping. Subsequent regression analyses showed these five factors were uniquely related to the additional constructs assessed in the study. We compared these findings with other studies to summarize the factor structure that currently emerges on recovery