Recovery and self-efficacy of a newly trained certified peer specialist following supplemental weekly group supervision: A case-based time-series analysis

ABSTRACT This single-case time-series study explored the benefits of adding a supervision/support group for peer specialists. Six certified peer specialists, employed by a small community-based peer support program, provided weekly recordings of mental health recovery (as measured by the Recovery Assessment Scale) and peer specialist self-efficacy (measured with an inventory developed by the authors) during an 8-week baseline phase and a 28-week intervention (weekly supervision group) phase. Data from the peer specialist with the most consistent supervision group attendance and greatest number of weekly recordings were chosen for intensive analysis using Simulation Modeling Analysis for Brief Time-Series Data Streams. Results indicated that the peer specialist experienced significant increases in recovery and work-related self-efficacy during the group supervision phase. There was also a statistically significant association between her improvements in mental health recovery and her increases in peer specialist self-efficacy. In addition, her improvement in recovery seemed to occur with or to precede changes in self-efficacy, a finding that, though opposite the hypothesized direction, is consistent with the importance of a peer specialist’s own recovery to his or her peer support work. The authors recommend viewing peer support programming as a two-tiered service, with mental health program administrators considering not only the support offered to consumers but also the support that can be offered to the peer specialists they employ.