Service Users Experience of Peer Support in Swedish Mental Health Care: A “Tipping Point” in the Care-Giving Culture?

Abstract

Peer support workers are increasingly considered an essential ingredient in recovery-oriented mental health services. While research continues to point to promising results concerning the ability of these workers to positively impact service users’ experience of hope, quality of life and even health, peer support workers have only recently been introduced in Sweden and the aim of this study was to investigate service users’ experience of receiving peer support in Swedish mental health services. The results were described with three main themes corresponding to three levels of focus from the service user perspective; experience-based knowledge, competence and non-judgmental awareness (individual level), peer support as impacting the relationship with the caring environment (organizational level), and awakening hope for a life beyond the illness (community level). The results suggest the addition of peer support workers as contributing not just to individual outcomes, but to a more trusting relationship to Swedish psychiatric services, which are often considered to work primarily from a medically oriented treatment paradigm.