Recent advances in shared decision making for mental health

Area of Science:

• Mental Health Research
• Healthcare Integration
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Shared decision making (SDM) is established in general healthcare with proven benefits.
• Integration of SDM into mental healthcare requires focused research and development.
• Key research priorities include defining SDM's role, understanding perspectives, assessing practice, and evaluating outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in shared decision making (SDM) within mental healthcare.
• To address the outlined research priorities for SDM in psychiatric settings.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent advances in SDM for mental health.
• Synthesis of findings related to the role, perspectives, assessment, and outcomes of SDM.

Main Results:

• SDM is applicable across the mental health treatment continuum, from entry to recovery.
• Patients and providers find SDM acceptable, driven by multifactorial reasons.
• Barriers to SDM in mental health include patient preferences and provider biases.
• Preliminary evidence suggests SDM is feasible and effective in mental health encounters.

Conclusions:

• Despite limited studies, SDM in mental health shows positive effects comparable to non-mental health populations.
• Future research on SDM in mental health is likely to yield significant benefits for patients with psychiatric disorders.