The complexity of co-producing research with mental health service users

Involving expert by experience into research contributes to the development of theory, values and practice in a way which is based on the assertion that the integration of theory and practice will not come only from a rigid... [ view full abstract ]

Involving expert by experience into research contributes to the development of theory, values and practice in a way which is based on the assertion that the integration of theory and practice will not come only from a rigid body of knowledge, but from the contribution of users alongside professional knowledge.
The presentation will outline the value of knowledge gained from participatory user research and the lessons learned from such cooperation. Such research is based on research with people rather than research on people, following Peter Reason’s definition (1994). The main research method applied in my project was cooperative inquiry (Reason 1994). Data were collected using structured interviews that had been designed, prepared, implemented, analized and presented by expert by experience of mental illness, supported by me as the principal researcher.
To implement participatory user research in social work we need to ensure the following elements are in place: Firstly the commitment to the co-production among expert by experience, their workers and academic colleagues. A genuine dialogue and trust need to be developed if we want to capture the diversity of knowledge as a source of richness in understanding the perspective of life experience of users, leading to a new formulation of “social problems”.
Secondly, as Ramon (2003) stated, the research cannot be of high quality, if the researchers are insufficiently prepared to carry it out. Therefore we need to ensure that user’s are traind and supported during the whole research process.
Thirdly sustainability is demanding because such an involvement requires a continuation of the participatory process.
The presentation will provide examples of the above from our joint research with service users, including its conceptual and practice contribution and the epistemic shift, produced by the inclusion of people with the lived experience of a mental ill health crisis and its aftermath.