Participation in peer support services and outcomes related to recovery.

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 274-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beth Vayshenker ◽  
Abby L. Mulay ◽  
Lauren Gonzales ◽  
Michelle L. West ◽  
Isaac Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peer Support ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Peer Support Services

Representations of Psychological Functions of Peer Support Services for Diabetic Patients

2015 ◽  
pp. 311-318
Author(s):  
Ikue Osawa ◽  
Mitsuru Ikeda ◽  
Takashi Yoneda ◽  
Yoshiyu Takeda ◽  
Masuo Nakai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peer Support ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Diabetic Patients ◽  
Peer Support Services ◽  
Psychological Functions

scholarly journals Capturing the value of peer support: measuring recovery-oriented services

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 180-187
Author(s):  
Stacey L. Barrenger ◽  
Victoria Stanhope ◽  
Emma Miller
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Outcome Measurement ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Evaluation Approach ◽  
The People ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Peer Support Services

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the gap between recovery-oriented processes and clinical outcomes in peer support, an exemplar of recovery-oriented services, and offer suggestions for bridging this gap. Design/methodology/approach This viewpoint is a brief review of literature on peer support services and gaps in outcome measurement towards building an evidence base for recovery-oriented services. Findings Clinical outcomes like hospitalizations or symptoms remain a focus of research, practice and policy in recovery-oriented services and contribute to a mixed evidence base for peer support services, in which recovery-oriented outcomes like empowerment, self-efficacy and hopefulness have more evidentiary support. One approach is to identify the theoretical underpinnings of peer support services and the corresponding change mechanisms in models that would make these recovery-oriented outcomes mediators or process outcomes. A better starting point is to consider which outcomes are valued by the people who use services and develop an evaluation approach according to those stated goals. User driven measurement approaches and more participatory types of research can improve both the quality and impact of health and mental health services. Originality/value This viewpoint provides a brief review of peer support services and the challenges of outcome measurement in establishing an evidence base and recommends user driven measurement as a starting point in evaluation of recovery-oriented services.

An update on the growing evidence base for peer support

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chyrell Bellamy ◽  
Timothy Schmutte ◽  
Larry Davidson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Current Evidence Base ◽  
Peer Support Services

Purpose As peer support services have become increasingly used in mental health settings as a recovery-oriented practice, so has the body of published research on this approach to care. The purpose of this paper is to provide an update on the current evidence base for peer support for adults with mental illness in two domains: mental health and recovery, and physical health and wellness. Design/methodology/approach To provide a robust, non-redundant, and up-to-date review, first the authors searched for meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Second, the authors found individual studies not included in any of the reviews. Findings Peer services are generally equally effective to services provided by non-peer paraprofessionals on traditional clinical outcomes. Although some studies found peer services to be effective at reducing hospitalization rates and symptom severity, as a whole, the current evidence base is confounded by heterogeneity in programmatic characteristics and methodological shortcomings. On the other hand, the evidence is stronger for peer support services having more of a positive impact on levels of hope, empowerment, and quality of life. Research limitations/implications In addition to the need for further high-quality research on peer support in mental and physical health domains, the authors also question whether measures of hope, empowerment, and integration into the community are more relevant to recovery than traditional clinical outcomes. Originality/value This paper provides an original, robust, and up-to-date review of the evidence for peer services.

scholarly journals Feasibility of peer support services among people with severe mental illness in China

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunge Fan ◽  
Ning Ma ◽  
Liang Ma ◽  
Wufang Zhang ◽  
Wei Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Severe Mental Illness ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Mental Health Systems ◽  
Social Communication Skills ◽  
Peer Support Services

Abstract Background Peer-delivered services potentially provide broad, multifaceted benefits for persons suffering severe mental illness. Most studies to date have been conducted in countries with well-developed outpatient mental health systems. The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility for developing a community-based peer service in China. Methods Thirteen peer service providers and 54 consumers were recruited from four communities in Beijing. We initiated the program in two communities, followed by another two in order to verify and add to our understanding of potential scalable feasibility. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted 12 month after initiation at each site to measure satisfaction and perceived benefits from perspectives of peer service providers, and consumers and their caregivers. Results Key stakeholders reported that peer support services were satisfying and beneficial. Eleven of 13 peer service providers were willing to continue in their roles. Ten, 8, and 7 of them perceived improvements in working skills, social communication skills, and mood, respectively. Among consumers, 39 of 54 were satisfied with peer services. Improvements in mood, social communication skills, illness knowledge, and illness stability were detected among 23, 18, 13, and 13 consumers, respectively. For caregivers, 31 of 32 expressed a positive view regarding peer services. Caregivers reported improvement in their own mood, confidence in recovery of their family members, and reduction in caretaker burdens. Conclusions The findings highlight that peer-delivered services have promise in China for benefiting persons with severe mental illness and their family caregivers, as well as the peer service providers themselves.

Peer support services: state of the workforce-state of the field in the USA

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 168-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Sally Rogers
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Central Component ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Peer Support Services ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Peer Specialists ◽  
Core Conditions

Purpose Peer support and other consumer-provided services have burgeoned within the USA during the past 30 years and are now a central component of mental health services nationally. However, their growth has been uneven and somewhat dependent on state initiatives, policies, and funding. Recent programs have matured along myriad paths, resulting in a variety of program typologies, service structures, and funding streams, but with common values, missions, and principles. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach The landscape of peer specialist services in the USA, as well as innovations afoot, is reviewed. The empirical information that speaks to the efficacy of peer support and the need to better understand the mechanisms by which it is effective is described. Findings Although peer support has grown exponentially across the USA, its growth has been uneven. Evidence suggests that peer specialists experience role ambiguity within many existing programs and systems. Though the empirical evidence for peer services has grown, research has been most favorable for manualized, group interventions. There is still a need to better understand how individual peer support is beneficial and effective, and how individual peer support can best be utilized to promote the best outcomes for those served. Research limitations/implications In order for the workforce of peer support specialists to continue to grow and for services to be responsive and innovative, we need to better understand the mechanisms by which peer support is beneficial and how it can be structured and delivered to promote the best outcomes for those served. The “core conditions” of helping relationships promulgated decades ago by Rogers along with research on self-disclosure may be useful frameworks for understanding and researching the effectiveness of peer support. Practical implications More research is needed to better understand the effectiveness of peer support services and how best to insure that they are well-integrated into the mental health programs and systems in which they serve. Originality/value There is a need to understand why peer support is effective and how best to sustain peer specialists in their roles within the mental health system.

scholarly journals Combining technical and expert-by-experience knowledge in the quest for personal recovery from bipolar disorder: a qualitative study

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samson Tse ◽  
Winnie W. Y. Yuen ◽  
Greg Murray ◽  
Larry Davidson ◽  
Queenie Lai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Peer Support Services ◽  
The Way

Abstract Background Knowledge construction is a form of communication in which people can work individually or collaboratively. Peer support services have been adopted by the public psychiatric and social welfare service as a regular form of intervention since 2015 in Hong Kong. Peer-based services can help people with bipolar disorder (BD) deal with the implications of the diagnosis, the way in which individuals with BD receive treatment, and the lifestyle changes that take place as a result of the diagnosis. Through a qualitative paradigm, this study aims to examine how individuals with BD use technical and expert-by-experience knowledge. Methods A total of 32 clients of mental health services were recruited from hospitals, Integrated Community Centers for Mental Wellness, and non-governmental organizations. They participated in semi-structured individual interviews. All interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis with the aid of NVivo. The findings were verified by peer researchers. Results Three main themes are presented in this article, including how clients made sense of the knowledge provided by mental health professionals and peer support workers (PSWs), critical perspectives about peer support services, and the way in which the services are more than knowledge transfer alone. Participants generally indicated that knowledge sharing revolved around three experiences: mood changes, medications, and sense of hope. Nevertheless, an empathic understanding of the clients’ experience was more important than the sharing of knowledge. Some clients perceived medication as the chief means to recovery, so PSWs were not useful for them. However, PSW role models had an effect beyond mere knowledge transmission, as they could promote clients’ pursuit of functional recovery goals. Conclusions The present study has improved our understanding of knowledge sharing between clients with BD and health professionals or PSWs, which should take place in an empathic and hope-instilling manner. It has also emphasized the value of the presence of a role model who can speak convincingly with clients to facilitate recovery. The present findings can be used to improve the care of people with BD by generating important guidance with regard to enhancing the knowledge exchange between clients and health practitioners.

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