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  • Diary of a Mental Health Peer Worker: Findings From a Diary Study Into the Role of Peer Work in a Clinical Mental Health Setting

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    Author(s)
    Wyder, M
    Roennfeldt, H
    Parker, S
    Vilic, G
    McCann, K
    Ehrlich, C
    Dark, FL
    Griffith University Author(s)
    Ehrlich, Carolyn E.
    Parker, Stephen D.
    Wyder, Marianne
    Roennfeldt, Helena L.
    Year published
    2020
    Metadata
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    Abstract
    Introduction: The importance of peer support workers in mental health care delivery has been extensively advocated for in mental health policy frameworks. However, there has been limited research examining the implementation of paid peer workers in clinical settings. This study explores the experience of paid peer support workers integrated within a clinically-operated community-based residential rehabilitation service for people diagnosed with a mental health disorder experiencing challenges living independently in the community. Methods: A general inductive approach was taken in the analysis of diaries completed by a newly ...
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    Introduction: The importance of peer support workers in mental health care delivery has been extensively advocated for in mental health policy frameworks. However, there has been limited research examining the implementation of paid peer workers in clinical settings. This study explores the experience of paid peer support workers integrated within a clinically-operated community-based residential rehabilitation service for people diagnosed with a mental health disorder experiencing challenges living independently in the community. Methods: A general inductive approach was taken in the analysis of diaries completed by a newly employed peer workforce. These diaries focussed on what they viewed as significant interactions in fulfilling their role. Composite vignettes were generated to illustrate key themes. Findings: Thirty-six diaries were provided; these reported unplanned and spontaneously occurring interactions. Peer workers emphasized the importance of connecting with people while they were engaging in everyday activities as an opportunity for personal growth of the residents. The diaries also focussed on the peer workers' ability to connect and establish trust by sharing similar experiences with residents or family members. Peer workers also believed that they brought a different perspective than clinical staff and were able to refocus attention from clinical diagnoses and symptoms to other aspects of the resident's lives. Discussion: Peer support workers described their work as flexible, responsive, and adaptable to the resident's needs. They believed that their roles brought a different lens to interactions on the unit and fostered a more inclusive and personal way of working for the team. Conclusion: To ensure that peer workers can engage authentically with residents and family members, it is critical that the role and principles of peer work are valued and understood by all.
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    Journal Title
    Frontiers in Psychiatry
    Volume
    11
    DOI
    https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.587656
    Copyright Statement
    © 2020 Wyder, Roennfeldt, Parker, Vilic, McCann, Ehrlich and Dark. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
    Subject
    Clinical sciences
    Health services and systems
    Public health
    Psychology
    community care unit
    mental health
    peer work
    qualitative
    rehabilitation
    Publication URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10072/401185
    Collection
    • Journal articles

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