Introduction to the Coproduction of Supervision Standards for Digital Peer Support: Qualitative Study.

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Mental Health Services
• Peer Support

Background:

• Digital peer support improves engagement in health services by overcoming accessibility barriers.
• Supervision standards are essential for maintaining competent digital peer support practices and supporting specialists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To inform the development of digital peer support supervision standards.
• To introduce guidelines for supervisors to develop digital peer support specialist competencies.

Main Methods:

• Recruited peer support specialists offering digital services via an international email listserv.
• Conducted four 1-hour focus groups with 59 participants.
• Utilized Rapid and Rigorous Qualitative Data Analysis with member feedback for validation.

Main Results:

• Identified 11 themes for digital peer support supervision standards.
• Key themes include technology competency, privacy/confidentiality, and digital delivery education.
• Other themes encompass administrative guidelines, work-life balance, and emotional support for specialists.

Conclusions:

• Existing in-person peer support standards require adaptation for digital environments.
• Digital peer support necessitates specific standards for technology, privacy, work-life balance, and emotional support.
• Lack of digital standards risks ethical breaches, workforce stress, and reduced service effectiveness.