Peer Support Workers in Mental Health Services

A Qualitative Exploration of Emotional Burden, Moral Distress and Strategies to Reduce the Risk of Mental Health Crisis

Dados Bibliográficos

ID8907385
AutoresJustyna Klingemann (0000-0002-8959-8517, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, autor correspondente), Halina Sienkiewicz‐Jarosz (0000-0002-2953-1943, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology), Bartłomiej Molenda (0000-0003-2489-0071, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology), Piotr Świtaj (0000-0002-0805-6696)
Ano2024
Volume61
Fascículo4
Páginas629-638
Data de publicação2024-10-17
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoCommunity Mental Health Journal (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0010-3853 • E-ISSN: 1573-2789
EditoraSpringer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1007/s10597-024-01370-8
PMID39419921
OpenAlexW4403513041
IdiomaEN
Referências citadas37

This research aimed to explore the experience of emotional burden among peer support workers (PSWs) in mental health care in Poland. It also examined the issue of moral distress in relation to this professional group and identified institutional sources of support for the well-being of PSWs in the workplace. The data presented in the article are derived from fourteen qualitative in-depth individual interviews with PSWs employed in four mental health centres with different organisational structures. The narratives of PSWs revealed several experiences that could be considered to be moral distress. The inability to assist patients was found to be associated with both individual and institutional barriers. Furthermore, our findings suggest that organisations can implement a number of specific practices to ensure the wellbeing of PSWs, which dissemination would be beneficial to teams employing PSWs

Anxiety · Distress · Emotional distress · Mental distress · Mental health · Peer support · Psychiatry · Qualitative research · Sociology · Clinical Psychology · Healthcare Decision-Making and Restraints · Medicine · Mental Health and Patient Involvement · Psychology · Social Work Education and Practice