‘There's just no flexibility’: How space and time impact mental health consumer research

Abstract

Non-consumer researchers collaborating with consumer researchers can benefit from greater relevance of research and improved congruence between research processes and health policy. As with all research collaborations, such partnerships are both constrained and facilitated by research ecosystems. However, it seems that collaborations with consumer researchers are impacted in particular ways by the research ecosystem. Drawing on ecological systems theory, this study aims to improve understandings of how ecological structures impact collaborations between non-consumer and consumer researchers. Interviews were conducted with 11 non-consumer researchers from a range of mental health disciplines about their experiences collaborating with consumer researchers. One theme developed through analysis of the data set related to the research ecosystem. Data from this theme were extracted and discursively analysed using the principles of discursive psychology. Findings emphasize distinct factors that influence collaborations at each level of the ecosystem, encompassing both local research culture and broader research systems. Findings suggest that external pressures (such as deadlines for funding applications, or bureaucratic processes) from the broader ecosystemic levels need to be challenged at the local collaboration level. Non-consumer researchers might support collaborations through, for instance, working to create enhanced flexibility in research timelines, or making time for relationship building, thus fostering more meaningful collaborations.

Co-producing a Drug and Alcohol Nursing Subject With Experts by Experience

“…Co-production, which came out of social care and civil rights movements in the United States (Cahn, 2000;Ostrom & Ostrom, 1978), is gaining traction in academia and health services for improving the quality, relevance and evaluation of approaches to care (Lignou et al, 2019;Roper et al, 2018;Scholz et al, 2019). Unlike conventional approaches to involving people with lived experience, co-production includes people with lived experience from the outset as equal partners throughout the co-planning, co-design, co-delivery and co-evaluation stages (Horner, 2016;Roper et al, 2018).…”

“…More than a method, co-production is also an 'ethos' where the perspectives of people with lived experience are honoured and entrenched hierarchies are disrupted (Horner, 2016). Additionally, via reciprocal and respectful partnerships collaborators build their collective capacity to effectively design, deliver and evaluate initiatives (Scholz et al, 2019).…”

Facing the Ethical Challenges: Consumer Involvement in COVID-19 Pandemic Research

“…Australia continues to foster such growth with emerging exemplars of internationally recognized best practice for consumer involvement in research (Australian Health Research Alliance 2018 ). Yet attitudes and support for consumer involvement in research still varies, often exacerbated by limited access to involvement training and resources, pathways to identify consumers, and insufficient funds to comprehensively develop and sustain involvement activities (Scholz et al 2019 ).…”

Borderline personality disorder in a community setting: service users' experiences of the therapeutic relationship with mental health nurses

“…Researchers have realized the importance of the experiences of people who suffer from mental disorders, because this information can help care providers adapt their practices to the needs of these service users (Scholz et al 2019). BPD has been little studied in general, and there are particularly few studies on the psychotherapeutic interventions of community mental health nurses that include the perspective of people with BPD.…”