Presentation and overview of a 4-year research program investigating peer support and recovery

Rikke JØRGENSEN1,7, Alice Katrine BURHOLT1, Kirsten JOHANSEN1,2, Mike SLADE3,4, Stynke CASTELEIN5,6, Birgitte LERBÆK1

1Unit for Psychiatric Research, Psychiatry, Aalborg University Hospital , Aalborg, Denmark
2Unit for Forensic Research, Mental Health Department Middelfart, Psychiatry, Region of Southern Denmark, Middelfart, Denmark
3School of Health Sciences, Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
4Nord University, Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Health and Community Participation Division, Namsos, Norway
5Lentis Research, Lentis Psychiatric Institute, Gronongen, Netherlands
6Department of Clinical Psychology and Experimental Psychopathology, Faculty ofBehavioural ans Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
7Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark

In September 2020 peer support workers were employed in eight new FACT teams in mental health services in the North Denmark Region. The peer support workers were all paid workers in permanent positions, employed 20 h pr. week working alongside the non-peer professionals in the teams.

Shortly hereafter, a 4-year research program “Peer Support and Recovery 2021 - 2024” was initiated with the overall purpose to investigate peer support and recovery in four work packages from the perspectives of the peer support workers, non-peer professionals and patients.

The overall design for the research program was exploratory using qualitative and quantitative methods. The data collection was completed November 2023 and analysis within and between the four work packages is ongoing and planned to continue through 2024 resulting in publication of scientific manuscripts.

This presentation will give an overview of the research program including elaboration of the rationale for conducting the research program and will present an illustrative timeline of the data collection and the participants including researchers/co-researchers to show the flow and the connection in and between work packages. Furthermore, the presentation will contribute with insights into organizational complexities and challenges experienced during the execution of the research program.