Skip to main content
Full access
Special Articles
Published Online: 27 September 2022

Peer-Facilitated Decision Making in Mental Health: Promises, Pitfalls, and Recommendations for Research and Practice

Abstract

Recognition has grown that peer support workers serve an important role in facilitating decision making about treatment and recovery among people with mental health conditions. This article provides examples of peer-facilitated decision support interventions in the literature, discusses promises and potential pitfalls associated with peers serving in decision support roles, and offers recommendations for research and practice. Examples were selected from the literature on decision support interventions for people with serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. Promises, pitfalls, and recommendations were informed by this research and by the literature on lived experience perspectives, the helper-therapy principle, and reported barriers to and facilitators of peers assisting with decision making. According to the included studies, peers may facilitate decision making in several ways (e.g., by asking service users about their goals or preferences, assisting them with using decision support tools, sharing stories, and facilitating access to information and resources). Peer-facilitated decision support may be associated with positive decision making and health outcomes for service users and peer support workers. However, providers need to carefully consider barriers to implementation of this support, such as inadequate resourcing, poor integration, and compromising of peer support values.

Formats available

You can view the full content in the following formats:

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Psychiatric Services
Go to Psychiatric Services
Psychiatric Services
Pages: 401 - 406
PubMed: 36164774

History

Received: 15 February 2022
Revision received: 15 April 2022
Revision received: 17 June 2022
Revision received: 19 July 2022
Accepted: 5 August 2022
Published online: 27 September 2022
Published in print: April 01, 2023

Keywords

  1. Serious mental illness
  2. Decision support
  3. Peer support
  4. General psychiatry
  5. Staff relationships

Authors

Details

Elizabeth C. Thomas, Ph.D. [email protected]
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia (Thomas, Salzer); Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne and Orygen, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (Simmons); mental health services consultant, Rochester, New York, and OnTrackNY and Center for Practice Innovations, Columbia University, New York City (Mathai).
Magenta B. Simmons, Ph.D.
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia (Thomas, Salzer); Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne and Orygen, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (Simmons); mental health services consultant, Rochester, New York, and OnTrackNY and Center for Practice Innovations, Columbia University, New York City (Mathai).
Chacku Mathai, A.A.S.
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia (Thomas, Salzer); Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne and Orygen, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (Simmons); mental health services consultant, Rochester, New York, and OnTrackNY and Center for Practice Innovations, Columbia University, New York City (Mathai).
Mark S. Salzer, Ph.D.
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia (Thomas, Salzer); Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne and Orygen, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (Simmons); mental health services consultant, Rochester, New York, and OnTrackNY and Center for Practice Innovations, Columbia University, New York City (Mathai).

Notes

Send correspondence to Dr. Thomas ([email protected]).

Competing Interests

The authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

Funding Information

The contents of this article were developed in part with funding from NIMH (award K08 MH-116101). The views in this article represent the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of NIH or the U.S. government.

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Citations

Export Citations

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu.

Format
Citation style
Style
Copy to clipboard

View Options

View options

PDF/EPUB

View PDF/EPUB

Full Text

View Full Text

Login options

Already a subscriber? Access your subscription through your login credentials or your institution for full access to this article.

Personal login Institutional Login Open Athens login
Purchase Options

Purchase this article to access the full text.

PPV Articles - Psychiatric Services

PPV Articles - Psychiatric Services

Not a subscriber?

Subscribe Now / Learn More

PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5-TR® library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.

Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Share article link

Share