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

Cross-Cultural Adaptation, French Validation, and Development of Derived Versions of the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS) for the Assessment of Subjective Recovery in Mental Health

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.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Mental Health; Psychiatric Disorders
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Self-report questionnaires

Detailed Description

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.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 260

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Audrey WILLIG, Psychologist; Phone Number: +33695082545; Email: audrey.willig@gmail.com
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Claire GARIOT, PhD; Phone Number: +33387561234; Email: claire.gariot@epsm-metz-jury.fr

Study Locations

• France
  • Moselle
    • Jury, Moselle, France, 57245
      • EPSM Metz-Jury
      • Contact: Claire GARIOT, Project Manager; Phone Number: +33387561234; Email: claire.gariot@epsm-metz-jury.fr

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adult psychiatric patients receiving care at EPSM Metz-Jury in inpatient units, day hospital settings, community mental health centers (CMP), or through intensive home-based psychiatric care services (EPSIAD). Participants are French-speaking adults able to complete self-report questionnaires independently or with assistance if needed. Patients under legal protection measures may participate in accordance with applicable regulations.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult patient (18 years or older)
• Receiving psychiatric care at EPSM Metz-Jury (inpatient unit, day hospital, community mental health center [CMP], or intensive home-based psychiatric care service [EPSIAD]/post-EPSIAD follow-up)
• Able to understand French
• Able to complete a self-report questionnaire independently or with assistance if needed
• Patients under legal protection measures (guardianship or curatorship) may participate with the agreement of their legal representative, when applicable

Exclusion Criteria:

• Major cognitive impairment
• Severe clinical condition preventing questionnaire completion or understanding of French
• Refusal to participate
• Prisoner or person deprived of liberty by judicial or administrative decision

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Intervention / Treatment

Adult psychiatric patients; Adult psychiatric patients receiving care at EPSM Metz-Jury (inpatient units, day hospital, community mental health centers [CMP], and intensive home-based psychiatric care services [EPSIAD]) who are able to complete self-report questionnaires in French.

Other: Self-report questionnaires; Participants complete self-report questionnaires including the French version of the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS-FR), the WHOQOL-BREF, and complementary questionnaires related to subjective recovery. The study also includes the exploratory assessment of six additional existential items. A subgroup of 50 participants will complete the RAS-FR again after one month to assess test-retest reliability. No therapeutic intervention, modification of usual care, invasive procedure, or additional medical examination is involved.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Recovery Assessment Scale - French Version (RAS-FR): Total Score, Internal Consistency, Factor Structure, and Test-Retest Reliability	The Recovery Assessment Scale - French Version (RAS-FR) is a 41-item self-report questionnaire assessing subjective recovery in mental health. Total scores range from 41 to 205, with higher scores indicating a higher level of subjective recovery. Psychometric analyses will include internal consistency, dimensional structure, and test-retest reliability.	Baseline and 1 month

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Correlation between Recovery Assessment Scale - French Version (RAS-FR) and WHOQOL-BREF (World Health Organization Quality of Life - Brief Version) scores	Assessment of convergent validity through correlations between the Recovery Assessment Scale - French Version (RAS-FR) total score and WHOQOL-BREF domain scores in adult psychiatric patients, with particular attention to the psychological and social relationship domains. The RAS-FR total score ranges from 41 to 205, with higher scores indicating a higher level of subjective recovery. WHOQOL-BREF domain scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better perceived quality of life. Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficients will be calculated.	Baseline
Existential dimension of recovery (RAS-FR-EX) composite score	Exploratory assessment of the existential dimension of recovery using six additional items integrated into the French version of the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS-FR-EX). A composite score ranging from 6 to 30 will be calculated, with higher scores indicating a stronger endorsement of existential recovery processes.	Baseline
Development of a short-form Recovery Assessment Scale - French Version (RAS-FR-SF)	Exploratory item reduction analyses based on responses to the 41-item Recovery Assessment Scale - French Version (RAS-FR). The objective is to identify a shorter version of the instrument while preserving its psychometric properties and conceptual coverage of subjective recovery.	Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Etablissement Public de Santé Mentale de Metz-Jury
• Collaborators: Groupement Interrégional de Recherche Clinique et d'Innovation; Centre Hospitalier Régional Metz-Thionville
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Audrey WILLIG, Psychologist, Clinical Research Unit (URC), EPSM Metz-Jury

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 16, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 19, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): June 25, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 25, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 19, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: quality of life; mental health; patient-reported outcome; psychometric validation; RAS; mental health recovery; WHOQOL-BREF; psychiatric care; cross-cultural adaptation; subjective recovery; Recovery Assessment Scale; recovery-oriented care; existential recovery; RAS-FR; French validation
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Personal Satisfaction; Mental Disorders; Psychological Well-Being
• Other Study ID Numbers: EPSM-VAL-RAS-FR; 2026-A00601-50 (Other Identifier: ANSM)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Individual participant data (IPD) will not be made publicly available. Access to study data may be considered on a case-by-case basis upon request to the sponsor, subject to regulatory requirements, confidentiality obligations, and GDPR compliance.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No