French Validation of the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS-FR)

Overview

The VAL-RAS-FR study aims to cross-culturally adapt, validate, and develop derived versions of the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS), an internationally used self-report measure of subjective recovery in mental health. The study will include 260 adult psychiatric patients receiving care at EPSM Metz-Jury in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Participants will complete the French version of the RAS (RAS-FR), the WHOQOL-BREF, and additional self-report questionnaires. A subgroup of participants will complete the RAS-FR again after one month to assess test-retest reliability. The study will also explore existential aspects of recovery through the development of the RAS-FR-EX (Existential Extension) and support the development of a shorter version, the RAS-FR-SF (Short Form), for clinical and research purposes.

Recovery in mental health extends beyond symptom reduction and includes hope, self-confidence, autonomy, meaning, and continuity of self. As described by Anthony (1993) and further developed through the CHIME framework, recovery is a deeply personal process involving connectedness, hope, identity, meaning, and empowerment. Although French translations of the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS) have been used previously, no comprehensive psychometric validation of a French version is currently available for routine use in French-speaking psychiatric settings. VAL-RAS-FR is a monocentric, prospective, observational study designed to cross-culturally adapt, validate, and develop derived versions of the 41-item Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS) for use in French-speaking mental health settings. The study will enroll 260 adult psychiatric patients receiving care at EPSM Metz-Jury, including patients from inpatient units, day hospital settings, community mental health centers (CMP), and EPSIAD follow-up services. Participants will complete self-report questionnaires including the French version of the RAS (RAS-FR), the WHOQOL-BREF, and complementary questionnaires exploring factors associated with subjective recovery. A subgroup of 50 participants will complete the RAS-FR again after one month to assess test-retest reliability. The study has three complementary objectives. First, it aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the French version of the RAS, including validity, internal consistency, dimensional structure, and test-retest reliability. Second, it will explore an existential dimension of recovery through the development of the RAS-FR-EX (Existential Extension), an exploratory extension designed to assess aspects such as continuity of self, reconstruction of meaning, and the experience of existing after psychological crisis. Third, it will support the exploratory development of a shorter version of the scale, the RAS-FR-SF (Short Form), intended to facilitate future clinical use while preserving the core dimensions of subjective recovery. The study does not involve any modification of usual care, invasive procedures, or additional medical examinations. By combining psychometric validation with exploratory clinical development, VAL-RAS-FR aims to provide a validated French-language measure of subjective recovery, improve the assessment of recovery-oriented outcomes in psychiatric care, and contribute to the development of clinically useful tools for French-speaking mental health services.