Embracing and Growing as a Peer Support Provider: An Analysis of Participants’ Experience in a Peer Support Program Based on the Recovery Model of Mental Illness

Abstract

Peer support is an important factor in the recovery of persons with mental illness. Most studies have focused on the effects of peer support programs on participants rather than on the process of mental health recovery. This study was a qualitative analysis of the experience of participants in a peer support provider program based on the recovery model of mental illness in Korean communities. The participants were recruited through flyers, and interested candidates were screened to determine whether they met the eligibility criteria. The total number of participants in individual interviews was 10, comprising 5 males and 5 females. The participants' age range was 20 years to 50 years, and schizophrenia was the most common diagnosis. By applying the six-step content analysis method by Braun and Clarke, this study extracted 140 meaningful statements, from which 20 sub-themes, 7 subcategories, and 3 categories were derived. The core theme of participants' experience was embracing and growing as a peer support provider as part of recovery progress by aspiring a peer support provider, positively accepting illness, and engaging in a meaningful role in the community. The participants expressed their emotions by sharing their experiences; they recognized the possibility of recovery from powerlessness and despair and learned to play a vital role as a member of the community.