‘It depends what you mean by leadership’: An analysis of stakeholder perspectives on consumer leadership

Abstract

Contemporary mental health policies call for increased involvement of consumers in leadership across mental health service design, delivery, and evaluation. However, consumer leadership is not currently well understood within academia or in mental health services themselves. This study investigates how consumer leadership is currently conceptualized by stakeholders at the service delivery level. To this end, semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 mental health organization members identifying as consumer leaders, colleagues supporting consumer leaders, or organization executives. Interview data were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis to develop a broad understanding of participants’ perceptions of consumer leadership. Findings indicate constructions of consumer leadership within mental health organizations can be understood in relation to four themes: consumer leadership roles, requirements, purpose, and process. Inconsistencies across participants’ perceptions of consumer leadership were identified as constituting barriers to its development, highlighting the need to better clarify the nature of consumer leadership.

Response to Commentary by von Peter to Happell, Brenda, & Scholz, Brett (2018). Doing what we can, but knowing our place: Being an ally to promote consumer leadership in mental health. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 27(1), 440–447

“…Indeed, the model of allyship that we propose-that supports consumer leadership in systemic roles at every level of the mental health sector (Stewart et al 2018)represents one step towards disrupting and transforming inequitable power structures that support the system of 'control, detainment, violence, and pathologisation' that we join von Peter in criticizing. In our discussion, we elaborate on how it is absolutely vital that although allies bring their relative power and privilege to the table, their positionality needs to be acknowledged so as not to co-opt consumer knowledge, insights, and initiatives.…”

“…We would argue that allyship-definitionally-requires support for transformation of the system that is in need of radical change. Indeed, the model of allyship that we propose-that supports consumer leadership in systemic roles at every level of the mental health sector (Stewart et al 2018)represents one step towards disrupting and transforming inequitable power structures that support the system of 'control, detainment, violence, and pathologisation' that we join von Peter in criticizing.…”

“…Our work calls for meaningful consumer leadership embedded at every level of the mental health sector and for lived experience to be valued in non-tokenistic ways (Scholz et al 2017(Scholz et al , 2018aStewart et al 2018). Our work calls for meaningful consumer leadership embedded at every level of the mental health sector and for lived experience to be valued in non-tokenistic ways (Scholz et al 2017(Scholz et al , 2018aStewart et al 2018).…”

“…The commentary argues that the original article reproduces 'traditional role models or divisions between people with and without psychiatric experiences'; we would suggest that the literature that we draw on and produce actively challenge traditional roles and divisions. Our work calls for meaningful consumer leadership embedded at every level of the mental health sector and for lived experience to be valued in non-tokenistic ways (Scholz et al 2017(Scholz et al , 2018aStewart et al 2018). von Peter suggests that the 'ally-concept originally aspired to transcend' the dichotomy between 'consumers' and 'professionals', but such a position is concerning given the way it could lead to ignoring the power differentials between those stigmatized in relation to their lived experience of mental ill health and those occupying roles that have traditionally oppressed them (Scholz et al 2018b).…”

Establishing an expert mental health consumer research group: Perspectives of nonconsumer researchers

“…The theme: Collegiality, sharing and creating expertise , suggests if such a group were to be developed, it would become a visible entity and resource for other researchers wishing to collaborate with consumers. Creating an identifiable group of consumer researchers could potentially enhance interactions between consumers and other researchers and if successful, potentially lead to an increase in co‐produced and consumer‐led research, and the development of a critical mass of consumer researchers who are recognized as contributing their own unique expertise 10,23,29,30 . Our findings contribute to a growing knowledge base about the importance of consumer expertise and leadership to the mental health field, by demonstrating, that an Expert Consumer Researcher Group could provide a starting point for consumer expertise in mental health research being seen as an essential component of research quality.…”