Effects of Peer Support Work in Psychiatry: A Systematic Literature Review of Reviews

Objective The current systematic review summarizes reviews on effects of formalized peer support work in clinical psychiatric settings in order to obtain an up-to-date picture of the current state of evidence. Methods Search in five electronic databases for relevant literature reviews regarding effects of peer support work in psychiatric settings. Database searches were complemented by a hand search. Results 16 reviews were found. They evaluate effects of peer support on clinical or psychosocial outcomes. No consistent effects are found for clinical outcomes. Small positive tendencies occur for psychosocial outcomes. Conclusions The authors of the reviews consistently mentioned the low quality of the primary studies. Therefore, the present results can rather be interpreted as a preliminary tendency. Further studies are necessary for evaluation of peer support in a more differentiated way.