Epistemic injustice and mental health research

A pragmatic approach to working with lived experience expertise

Datos Bibliográficos

ID15524028
AutoresCelestin Okoroji (0000-0002-6238-7074, London School of Economics and Political Science), Tanya Mackay (0000-0002-3208-2077, McPin Foundation, autor de correspondencia), Dan Robotham (0000-0003-2968-2415, McPin Foundation), Davino Beckford (McPin Foundation), Vanessa Pinfold (0000-0003-3007-8805, McPin Foundation)
Año2023
Volumen14
Páginas1114725-1114725
Fecha de publicación2023-03-28
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaFrontiers in Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1664-0640 • E-ISSN: 1664-0640
EditorialFrontiers Media (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1114725
PMID37056406
OpenAlexW4361212243
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas32
Referencias citadas26

Epistemic injustice" refers to how people from marginalized groups are denied opportunities to create knowledge and derive meaning from their experiences. In the mental health field, epistemic injustice occurs in both research and service delivery systems and particularly impacts people from racialized communities. Lived experience involvement and leadership are often proposed as methods of combatting epistemic injustice, a tool for ensuring the views of people at the center of an issue are heard and can inform decision-making. However, this approach is not without challenges. In this paper, we draw on our work as intermediary organizations that center lived experience perspectives to challenge epistemic injustice. We highlight two problems we have identified in working in the mental health research field: "elite capture" and "epistemic exploitation". We believe that these problems are barriers to the radical and structural change required for epistemic justice to occur. We propose a pragmatic approach to addressing these issues. Based on our work we suggest three considerations for researchers and our own organizations to consider when involving people with lived experience. These include reflecting on the purpose of creating knowledge, with a focus on impact. Embedding lived experience roles, with appropriate employment, support and remuneration, and acknowledging that it may be necessary to work alongside existing systems as a "critical friend" while developing new spaces and structures for alternative forms of knowledge. Finally, the mental health research system needs to change. We believe these three considerations will help us better move toward epistemic justice in mental health research

Economic Justice · Engineering ethics · Epistemology · Injustice · Mental health · Political science · Psychotherapist · Sociology · Critical Race Theory in Education · Feminist Epistemology and Gender Studies · Mental Health and Patient Involvement · Psychology · Social Psychology