Skills and challenges for in peer support for young adults with serious mental health conditions

A consistent refrain from the literature
on peer support is that research and practice are hampered by a lack of
theory-based models that specify the activities and skills of specific peer
support roles, and describe how skillful practice is linked to outcomes. As
part of a larger study intended to help fill this gap, the current study aimed
to define and validate a set of key skills and related challenges in one-on-one
peer support for older youth and young adults. Phase one of the study engaged
peer support specialists (PSSs) and peer support users (PSUs) from first
episode psychosis (FEP) and non-diagnostic-specific (NDS) programs across the
United States in a series of discussion groups focused on the activities,
skills and outcomes of effective peer support. Qualitative analysis of the
discussion group material led to the specification of six general skill areas
and, within each of these, a series of sub-skills and key practice challenges.
In the current study, the PSSs reviewed a document describing these, rated the
importance of each of the skills and challenges, and provided open-ended
feedback on wording and conceptualization. Based on feedback, wording of
practice skills and challenges was finalized, and a set of related
organizational challenges connected to each skill area was added to the
document.