Mapping Collaborative Practices Between Occupational Therapists and Peer Supporters in Mental Health: A Scoping Review.

Abstract

Importance: Occupational therapists and peer supporters share recovery-oriented values and increasingly collaborate in mental health settings. However, the structure and implementation of this collaboration remain unclear.

Objective: To map the literature on collaborative practices between occupational therapists and peer supporters in mental health, focusing on structures, roles, perceived benefits, and challenges.

Data sources: PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and ProQuest databases were searched in January 2025.

Study selection and data extraction: This review followed the methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley (2005). By using the Participants, Concept, and Context framework, the authors included studies that involved people with mental health conditions, described collaborative efforts between occupational therapists and peer supporters, and were situated in mental health settings. A brief stakeholder consultation was conducted to enhance the practical relevance of the findings.

Findings: This study included 11 studies published between 2001 and 2023. Three collaboration models were identified: cofacilitated, peer supporter-led with occupational therapist support, and occupational therapist-led with peer supporter involvement. Occupational therapists contributed clinical, structural, and contextual expertise, whereas peer supporters provided lived experiences, emotional support, and recovery-oriented perspectives. The reported benefits included improved occupational engagement, quality of life, and peer supporter development. Challenges included role ambiguity, boundary issues, and limited organizational support. Stakeholders broadly agreed with these findings and highlighted their relevance to collaborative practice.

Conclusions and relevance: Occupational therapists play an important collaborative role in enabling peer supporters to apply experiential knowledge in recovery-oriented practice. Clarifying roles, fostering mutual understanding, and building supportive structures are essential. Plain-Language Summary: This study explored how occupational therapists and peer supporters collaborate in mental health services. Peer supporters are individuals with lived experiences of mental health challenges who support others on their recovery journeys. Occupational therapists are health professionals who help individuals participate in meaningful daily activities and regain structure and identity. When occupational therapists and peer supporters collaborate, they combine clinical and experiential knowledge to support recovery in complementary ways. In this review, we identified several collaboration models including coleading group sessions, peer supporter-led programs with occupational therapist support, and occupational therapist-led programs with peer supporter involvement. This review found that such partnerships can increase confidence, promote community participation, improve daily life, and foster personal growth for service users and peer supporters. Challenges including unclear roles, lack of supervision for peer supporters, and limited organizational support were also reported. Gaining a better understanding of these collaborations may help improve recovery-oriented mental health services.