The Type, Impacts, and Experiences of Peer Support for People Living With Bipolar Disorder: A Scoping Review

Internationally, mental health policy has highlighted the exchange of peer support between people with lived experience as a key component of recovery-oriented care. There is some evidence to support the benefits of peer support in mixed-diagnosis groups, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia. However, no reviews have specifically described the types and impacts of peer support interventions for bipolar disorder (BD).

A scoping review was conducted to explore the type, outcomes, and experience of peer support interventions in BD. Databases searched were MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO, using terms related to peer support and BD. Extracted data included study design, participant demographics, intervention characteristics, and qualitative or quantitative data on outcomes and experiences.

Thirty studies met eligibility criteria and were included in the review. A diverse array of interventions incorporating peer support were evaluated, including unstructured face-to-face group programs, peer-facilitated psychoeducation, and web-based psychoeducation with accompanying peer support. Quantitative studies largely assessed clinical outcomes, with some attention to functioning and quality of life. Qualitative data included observations of interaction patterns and subjective experiences of programs.

Given this heterogeneous literature, the effects of peer support in BD cannot be firmly concluded. However, qualitative research and rates of engagement with peer support programs are suggestive of subjective appeal. Priorities for future research include comparative studies to parse out the effects of different types of peer support, routine reporting of the characteristics of peer support programs, assessment of recovery-oriented outcomes, and partnership with community organizations to optimize trial designs.