An evaluation of peer-led self-management training for people with severe psychiatric diagnoses

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to establish the effectiveness of self-management training as an intervention for people using secondary mental health services. Design/methodology/approach – A self-management and peer support intervention was developed and delivered by secondary mental health service users to 262 people with psychiatric diagnoses living in the community. Data on wellbeing and health-promoting behaviour were collected at three time points (baseline, six, and 12 months). Findings – Participants reported significant improvements in wellbeing and health-promoting lifestyle six and 12 months after self-management training. Peer-led self-management shows potential to improve long-term health outcomes for people with psychiatric diagnoses. Research limitations/implications – Due to the lack of a control group, the positive changes cannot definitively be attributed to the intervention. Other limitations were reliance on self-report measures, and the varying numbers of completers at three time points. These issues will be addressed in future studies. Practical implications – The evaluation demonstrated the effectiveness of self-management training for people with psychiatric diagnoses, suggesting self-management training may bring significant wellbeing gains for this group. Social implications – This study represents a first step in the implementation of self-management approaches into mental health services. It demonstrates the feasibility of people with psychiatric diagnoses developing and delivering an effective intervention that complements existing services. Originality/value – This is the first study to investigate the effectiveness of a self-management training programme developed and delivered by mental health service users in the UK.