Introduction: While an increasing number of studies point to the positive effects of peer support workers in mental health services, there is a continuing call for research that targets individual outcomes which can be measured and provide evidence for the effectiveness of this method. Individually oriented outcomes tied to specific interventions, such as those called for in the Swedish national guidelines for mental health services, may not however capture the broader effects of hiring individuals with lived experience in traditional psychiatric services.
Method: An interview study of users who had contact with peer support workers in five Swedish psychiatric outpatient services was completed as part of a broader study that also targeted staff and program managers. This study occurred at the same time that the new national guidelines in Sweden were being developed, based on an international review of evidence, with peer support being considered as an intervention.
Results: While the interviewed users confirmed many of the outcomes that had been reviewed in the international literature regarding hopefulness, strategies for recovery, trust and mutuality, they also described their perception of the environmental implications of employing these workers. They describe the peer support workers as mediating the distance between patient and staff, as creating a more equal standing on the units, and as confirming that the professionals believe in recovery and can therefore be trusted.
Discussion: These findings suggest that the outcomes of peer support are not solely individual and significantly contribute to the development of recovery-oriented services with wide-ranging benefits. These results will be discussed in relation to the development of the national guidelines and other evidence-based recommendations, which are challenged by innovations which influence the social context of care.