Cited by 913Mental Health and Patient InvolvementPsychiatric care and mental health servicesFamily Caregiving in Mental Illness

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Peer support among persons with severe mental illnesses: a review of evidence and experience

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DAVIDSON, LARRY, BELLAMY, CHYRELL, GUY, KIMBERLY, MILLER, REBECCA·2012·World Psychiatry

DOI 10.1016/j.wpsyc.2012.05.009PMC PMC3363389

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Abstract

Peer support is largely considered to represent a recent advance in community mental health, introduced in the 1990s as part of the mental health service user movement. Actually, peer support has its roots in the moral treatment era inaugurated by Pussin and Pinel in France at the end of the 18th century, and has re-emerged at different times throughout the history of psychiatry. In its more recent form, peer support is rapidly expanding in a number of countries and, as a result, has become the focus of considerable research. Thus far, there is evidence that peer staff providing conventional mental health services can be effective in engaging people into care, reducing the use of emergency rooms and hospitals, and reducing substance use among persons with co-occurring substance use disorders. When providing peer support that involves positive self-disclosure, role modeling, and conditional regard, peer staff have also been found to increase participants' sense of hope, control, and ability to effect changes in their lives; increase their self-care, sense of community belonging, and satisfaction with various life domains; and decrease participants' level of depression and psychosis.

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Background
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Richard, B. O., Abadi, M. H., Drake, C. D., Rychener, D. L., & Bauer, R. (2023) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.968281 · Cited by 2
Peer Facilitation: Accelerating Individual, Community, and Societal Change
Sherman, A. D. F., Balthazar, M. S., Kim, S., Carroll, L., Casseus, K., & Febres‐Cordero, S. (2023) · Advances in Peer-Led Learning · doi:10.54935/apll2023-01-03-18 · Cited by 2
“Participation in peer facilitated programming has led to increased treatment engagement and community integration, as well as improved knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs among group members (Chinman et al., 2014; Davidson et al., 2012; Pickett et al., 2012; Steigman et al., 2014).”
Background
“Surviving against the odds. The impact of peer support workers on a chronically suicidal adolescent in secure residential youth care: a single case report from the Netherlands”
Kaijadoe, S. P. T., Nijhof, K. S., Klip, H., Popma, A., & Scholte, R. H. J. (2024) · International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being · doi:10.1080/17482631.2024.2409514 · Cited by 2
“Peer support workers can also contribute to self-management, a sense of belonging and connection, coping with suicidality, and the rediscovery of life goals (Chi et al., 2014; Davidson et al., 2012).”
Background
Beautiful but fragile: the experiences of family/carer lived experience workers within mental health services
Sellick, K., Gor, D., Girdwood, A., Robinson, B., Romanin, L., Davidson, J., Álvarez, A., Edan, V., & Downes, L. (2024) · Advances in Mental Health · doi:10.1080/18387357.2024.2423953 · Cited by 2
“Over the past four decades, there has been a growing interest and investment in hiring people with a lived experience of mental illness (consumer), or of providing support to a relative or friend with mental illness (family/carer), into mental health services (Davidson et al., 2012).”
Potentials and pitfalls of peer support: Experiences and recommendations for peer supported physical activity programmes for mental health service users
Kinnafick, F., Anthony, J., & Tweed, L. M. (2024) · Mental health and physical activity · doi:10.1016/j.mhpa.2024.100669 · Cited by 4
Identifying ‘Where’ and ‘How’ Peer Support for Youth is Integrated into Community-Based Mental Health Services: A Survey Study
Hews‐Girard, J., Cullen, E., Singh, M., Perry, R., Brill, K., Taylor, N., Munson, M. R., Barbic, S. P., Henderson, J. L., Cronin, S., et al. (2025) · Community Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1007/s10597-024-01440-x · Cited by 2
“This perspective can provide an environment where mental health recovery can occur, and a reciprocal, trusting and accepting relationship between peer support workers and youth can be created (Davidson et al., 2012; Tisdale et al., 2021; Watson, 2019).”
Estrategia educativa para la prevención del cáncer de cuello uterino en indígenas: una experiencia de investigación-acción participativa
Vargas, S., Jiménez, C. M. V., Osorio, V. C. F., Sarmiento, M. I., Monsalve-Córdoba, M. L., & de Amaya, M. B. P. (2025) · Cadernos de Saúde Pública · doi:10.1590/0102-311xes170423 · Cited by 2
“…fue el contacto de las mujeres con mujeres de su propia etnia, pues esto genera confianza y mejor aceptación de las actividades propuestas por el sector salud, estra-tegia que ha venido siendo reportada como exitosa en otros trabajos relacionados con prevención y tratamiento de enfermedades 39,40 .”
Potential impact of peer support service on SUD treatment engagement following ED visits among Kentucky medicaid beneficiaries
Zhang, X., Hardcastle, V. G., Ho, T., & Ozanich, G. (2025) · Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment · doi:10.1016/j.josat.2025.209746 · Cited by 2
People with Lived Experience as Support Workers and Community Leaders: Findings from a Critical Interpretive Synthesis of the Literature and Expert Consultation
Tremblett, S., Ellenbogen, S., Wadden, E., Koparan, L., Traverse, C., & Muise, M. (2025) · Human Services Organizations Management Leadership & Governance · doi:10.1080/23303131.2025.2544678 · Cited by 2
“The effectiveness of PSWLE in promoting connectedness, hope, and empowerment; increasing engagement and self-esteem; and reducing experiences of acute distress in service users are also highlighted (Clarke et al., 2000; Davidson et al., 2012; Narusson & Wilken, 2019; Repper & Carter, 2011).”
‘Equal footing, equal voice’: Recognition of self and other in Shared Reading for people with lived experience of mental distress
James, S., Römhild, J., Turner, M., Sawyer, A., & Maylea, C. (2025) · Health An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health Illness and Medicine · doi:10.1177/13634593251381809 · Cited by 2
“Peer workers have become integral to recovery-oriented services in creating an atmosphere of acceptance and social support and role-modelling positive self-disclosure (Davidson et al., 2012; Hillman et al., 2022).”
Toward consensus in mental health peer support training: a co-created Delphi study
Hiltensperger, R., Brodahl, M., Eiroá‐Orosa, F. J., Epple, E., Gavrilă-Ardelean, M., Gonzalez-Mañas, D., Girit, S., Hénault, I., MATHY, M., Nixdorf, R., et al. (2025) · International Journal of Mental Health · doi:10.1080/00207411.2025.2604341 · Cited by 2
“Broader critiques also highlight risks of tokenism and systemic constraints, which can limit the sustainability and recognition of peer support in mental health services (Byrne et al., 2019; Davidson et al., 2012; Gillard et al., 2013).”
Mental health peer support relationship: a realist informed qualitative meta synthesis
Hackmann, C., Green, A., Pease, R., Clegg, I., & Handley, M. (2025) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2025-105211 · Cited by 2
Processes and Early Lessons From a Peer‐Designed Recovery‐Oriented Borderline Personality Disorder Online Support Group
Papa, J., Choi, Y. N., Nault, E., Nelson, S. M., Fineberg, S. K., & Tusiani-Eng, P. (2026) · Personality and Mental Health · doi:10.1002/pmh.70057 · Cited by 2
“One promising approach to address both care gaps and stigma is peer support, in which people with lived experience of BPD who are in recovery offer nonclinical support to others (Davidson et al. 2012; Fortuna et al. 2020; Foglesong et al. 2022).”
Reimagining Support for Unpaid Carers: Voice, Peer Networks, Lived Expertise and Integrated Neighbourhood Models
Palmer, D. (2026) · Practice · doi:10.1080/09503153.2026.2633112 · Cited by 2
The Potential of the Legal Capacity Law Reform in Peru to Transform Mental Health Provision
Encalada, A. V. (2021) · Mental Health, Legal Capacity, and Human Rights · doi:10.1017/9781108979016.011 · Cited by 2
In the Pursuit of Justice: Advocacy by and for Hyper-marginalized People with Psychosocial Disabilities through the Law and Beyond
Brown, L. X. Z., & Neumeier, S. M. (2021) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108979016.025 · Cited by 2
Redefining International Mental Health Care in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Barsky, B. A., Hannah, J., & Pūras, D. (2021) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108979016.005 · Cited by 2
From Deinstitutionalization to Deprescribing and Beyond
Miller, R. A., & Pavlo, A. J. (2022) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108951760.011 · Cited by 2
Self-citation
Awareness and perceived helpfulness of mental health peer workers in a representative sample of the Australian public
Banfield, M., Shou, Y., Morse, A. R., Gulliver, A., Calear, A. L., McCallum, S. M., Farrer, L. M., Dawel, A., & Batterham, P. J. (2022) · Psychiatry Research Communications · doi:10.1016/j.psycom.2022.100042 · Cited by 2
Personality Disorders
Choi-Kain, L. W., Rodriguez-Villa, A. M., Ilagan, G. S., & Iliakis, E. A. (2021) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9780511846403.010 · Cited by 2
Eine Theory of Change zur erfolgreichen Implementierung von Peer-Begleitung für Menschen mit schweren psychischen Erkrankungen in Deutschland
Girit, S., Mueller‐Stierlin, A. S., Hiltensperger, R., Wenzel, L., Lohner, M., Mahlke, C., Nixdorf, R., & Puschner, B. (2022) · PPmP - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie · doi:10.1055/a-1827-4040 · Cited by 2
“Zielgruppe lokale Beiräte Peer-Begleiter/-innen Wie kann das derzeitige berufsübergreifende Versorgungs-Netzwerk nachhaltig erweitert werden? x x Wie können weitere Betroffene erreicht werden, wenn das UPSIDES Team nicht mehr für die Rekrutierung dieser zuständig ist? x x Wie geht es nach Projektende bezüglich der Fin…”
BackgroundInfluential
UNWIND – A Mobile Application that Provides Emotional Support for Working Women
Kugapriya, P., Manohara, M., Ranganathan, K., Kanapathy, D., Gamage, A., & Anzar, A. (2022) · Asian Conference on Innovation in Technology (ASIANCON) · doi:10.1109/asiancon55314.2022.9909084 · Cited by 2
“…or in groups, is defined as “a system of giving and receiving help founded on key principles of respect, shared responsibility, and mutual agreement on what is helpful” [16] and involves people with lived experiences of mental health problems supporting others in their recovery process [17], [18].”
Background
Recovery and Person-Centered Care: Empowerment, Collaboration, and Integration
Sowers, W. E. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-10239-4_3 · Cited by 2
Origins of Peer Support and the Modern Recovery Movement in the United States
Evans, M. (2023) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-29042-8_4 · Cited by 2
Peer Support and Mental Health: A Review of the Evidence
Evans, M. (2023) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-29042-8_5 · Cited by 2
Personal Well-being and Recovery in Peer Support Specialists Working at Psychiatric Hospitals
Walter, O., & Hazan‐Liran, B. (2023) · American Journal of Health Behavior · doi:10.5993/ajhb.47.3.11 · Cited by 2
A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed: Investigating the Quality of Training Data from Peers for Auto-generating Empathetic Textual Responses to Non-Sensitive Posts in a Cohort of College Students
Sharma, R. S., Mirzakhalov, J., Bharti, P., Goyal, R., Schmidt, T., & Chellappan, S. (2023) · ACM Journal on Computing and Sustainable Societies · doi:10.1145/3616382 · Cited by 3
“Many studies in the past decade have validated the above insight, i.e., the positive impact that peers can make on mental health improvement at both the individual and community level [2, 11, 19, 33, 40, 56, 70, 73, 87].”
Background
A current overview of palliative care: Palliative psychiatry
Güreş, E. E., & Özbaş, A. A. (2023) · Journal of Clinical Psychiatry · doi:10.5505/kpd.2023.60252 · Cited by 2
Recovery Barrier Characterizations by Hospitalized Patients with Substance Use Disorders: Results from a Randomized Clinical Study on Inpatient Peer Recovery Coaching
Byrne, K. A., Roth, P., Cumby, S., Goodwin, E., Herbert, K., Schmidt, W. M., Worth, S., Connolly, K., Uzor, O., Eiff, B., et al. (2024) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph21010093 · Cited by 2
“This experience can help instill a sense of positive self-disclosure, role-modeling of self-care, and hope-building [37,38], which supports the observed improvement in coping/life functioning.”
Background
Women Veterans’ definitions of peer support: A qualitative description analysis
Matteson, A. L., & Hardiman, E. R. (2024) · Journal of Military Veteran and Family Health · doi:10.3138/jmvfh-2023-0013 · Cited by 2
Implementing psychiatric drug withdrawal practices: challenges with individuals with multiple comorbid behavioral and health problems
Maviglia, M. A., & Cooeyate, N. J. (2024) · Journal of Psychology & Clinical Psychiatry · doi:10.15406/jpcpy.2024.15.00762 · Cited by 2
Preferences of U.S. veterans making and receiving Caring Cards: A peer approach to recovery-oriented suicide prevention.
Chalker, S. A., Pozun, C. T., Chang, C. J., Ehret, B. C., & Treichler, E. B. H. (2024) · Practice Innovations · doi:10.1037/pri0000230 · Cited by 2
Lalaki ka, hindi ka dapat umiiyak!: barriers of help-seeking behaviour in Filipino men
Quiambao, G. M. C. A., Salaria, J. R., Bucad, M. M. B., Feltis, C. A., & Embalsado, J. V. M. (2024) · Advances in Mental Health · doi:10.1080/18387357.2024.2425698 · Cited by 3
Alles kann – nichts muss? Genesungsbegleitung (Peer-Support) auf akutpsychiatrischen Stationen
Stolz, C., Oster, A., Czernin, K., Baumgartner, J. S., Junghanss, J., & Mahler, L. (2024) · Psychiatrische Praxis · doi:10.1055/a-2447-6831 · Cited by 2
We Are Still Here: Intersectional Collaborations in Research, Practice, and Resistance Among MFP Scholars
Alvarez, A. R. G., Azhar, S., Parchment, T. M., Perrigo, J. L., Farina, A. S. J., Paredes, T., Edwards, J. P., & Klumpner, S. (2025) · Journal of Social Work Education · doi:10.1080/10437797.2024.2413411 · Cited by 3
“Mutual aid and other examples of people assisting each other to address a specific issue, problem, or situation has been a longstanding practice (Davidson et al., 2012).”
Psychosocial Management of First-Episode Psychosis and Schizophrenia: Synopsis of the US Department of Veterans Affairs and US Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guidelines
Niv, N., Issa, F., Goldberg, R., Khandekar, P., McGraw, K., Reston, J. T., Ford, S. C., Katz, I. R., & Resnick, S. G. (2025) · Schizophrenia Bulletin · doi:10.1093/schbul/sbaf035 · Cited by 2
Feeding the mood: The role of macronutrients in depression prevention and treatment
Wang, C., Tang, J., & Cao, Y. (2025) · World Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.5498/wjp.v15.i8.107435 · Cited by 2
Suporte de pares como estratégia de Recovery e a experiência dos redutores de danos da Rede Pública de Saúde Mental de Belo Horizonte
Siqueira, O. M., Romão, C. O., de Oliveira, A. S. T., Nobre, B. R., Coutinho, Â. D. A., & Oliveira, L. A. (2021) · Revista Iberoamericana de Psicología · doi:10.33881/2027-1786.rip.14205 · Cited by 2
School for Social Care Research
Library, N. J. (2015) · Cited by 2

Authors: DAVIDSON, L., BELLAMY, C., GUY, K., & MILLER, R.
Affiliations: Yale University (US)
ORCID: DAVIDSON, LARRY
BELLAMY, CHYRELL
MILLER, REBECCA
Venue: World Psychiatry
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2012-06
Volume: 11
Issue: 2
Pages: 123-128
ISSN: 1723-8617 (ISSN-L)
2051-5545
DOI: 10.1016/j.wpsyc.2012.05.009
PMC: PMC3363389
OpenAlex: W2100229021
Cited by: 913
References: 44
Citations by year: 2026: 61 · 2025: 89 · 2024: 68 · 2023: 66 · 2022: 97 · 2021: 137 · 2020: 80 · 2019: 67 · 2018: 66 · 2017: 63 · 2016: 51 · 2015: 30 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 11
FWCI: 37.54
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: bronze
doi.org
Licence: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 284 d)
Locations: World Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mental Health and Patient Involvement
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychiatric care and mental health services
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Family Caregiving in Mental Illness
Keywords: peer support, severe mental illness, moral treatment, community mental health, engagement in care, emergency department utilization, hospitalization, co-occurring substance use disorders, self-disclosure, role modeling, hope, self-care, community belonging, depression, psychosis

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Peer support among persons with severe mental illnesses: a review of evidence and experience

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