Do therapeutic homework assignments address areas of need for individuals with severe mental illness?

The current study explores the types of homework assignments used in a recovery orientated case management approach. It also examines the relationship between the types of homework used and the clients' area of need as rated on the CANSAS. There were 129 client and mental health case manager dyads that participated in the study. Written copies of all homework assignments administered during the 12-month research period were collected (N = 1,054). The homework assignments were categorised according to the 'type' and the 'need domain addressed by the task'. The majority of these tasks were behavioural in nature. On a group level homework tended to broadly address areas of need for clients in the study. Only 2 of the 1,054 homework assignments administered directly addressed areas of Intimate Relationships or Sexual Expression. The importance of addressing Intimate Relationship and Sexual Expression within mental health case management is discussed.