PEER Research Project
Study Summary / Academic Abstract
Background
Though peers are an integral part of the recovery support sector, they are not always integrated fully or effectively into systems of care. And though peers bring valuable lived and professional experience that greatly enhance the relevance and impact of research, they are not often included in scientific inquiry. Agencies could also benefit from having peers more involved in program evaluation and quality improvement. To achieve greater peer integration into recovery research, peers need more research skills. Practitioners and researchers also need more awareness of and commitment to peer recovery. To address these needs, the PEER project (Peer-Focused Education to Enhance Recovery) piloted presentations for peers as well as health science graduate students and staff.
Methods
To enhance relevance and efficacy of these trainings and guest lectures, a representative group of eight advisors made up of graduate students, faculty, peers, and other staff was engaged. These advisors helped to develop the curricula within a three-round participatory Delphi process. A Delphi is a research method where key stakeholders help to establish priorities and make decisions using iterative feedback. The advisors gave qualitative feedback eight times and completed four mixed methods surveys to identify top learning goals and curriculum modalities. After the pilots, advisors offered final inputs on how to address challenges and sustain the project. There were four curricula piloted: 1) The adaptation of IRIS’s original peer and agency-focused Recovery Research Fellowship to a student-centered model (this model was not piloted but was used for a federal grant submission), 2) Guest lecture curricula focused on peer recovery support for four courses, two in social work and two in nursing, which served 101 students, 3)  A continuing professional education workshop focused on peer recovery support which served 33 social work and other behavioral health staff, 4) A research skills training for 14 peers delivered in collaboration with 3c Recovery Support Training Institute and Maverick Minds. For all pilots, pre-post tests and open-ended questions assessed knowledge gain and satisfaction. Paired sample t-tests (or Wilcoxon signed rank test) were used for quantitative analysis and thematic analysis was used for qualitative analysis.
PEER project manager Jon Gilgoff and guest peer Gabby Bozeman presenting
Results
Peer Research Training: This training was strengthened by advisors highlighting the need to make research skills applicable to peers’ work and career advancement. Making research literacy and the research process accessible to peers, some of whom may have little experience with data and evaluation, was also stressed. These inputs were used to strengthen outreach and curriculum content. Paired sample t-test results showed significant changes in knowledge gain (pre-test mean = 63.6% of 100% and post-test mean = 78.6% of 100%; p = .03). Mean satisfaction rates on a scale of 1-5 across indicators were between 4.7 and 4.9, and 4.9 for the overall workshop. The theme of takeaways was, “Opening Possibilities to Engage with Research and Providing a Road Map.”
Graduate School Guest Lectures: This curriculum was strengthened by advisors inputs on ways to keep students engaged (including videos and small group discussion). Results indicated significant knowledge gains in all targeted areas (who peers are, their core peer competencies, roles, settings, associated benefits, peer workforce integration, ways to connect to peers, and how peers collaborate with other disciplines) and using an overall knowledge score (p<0.001). Mean satisfaction rates across indicators were between 4.2 and 4.7 out of 5.0, and 4.5 for the overall workshop. The theme of takeaways was, “Peers Are Essential in SUD Recovery and Should Be Integrated More.”​
Continuing Professional Education (CPE): The CPE workshop was strengthened by advisors highlighting the need to inform participants of the history of peer work, peer training and credentials, and ways that peer work could be funded. Results indicated significant knowledge gain in all targeted areas​​
Two UMB nursing students at a PEER guest lecture
(who peers are, their history, core competencies, training requirements, roles, settings, associated benefits, peer workforce integration, ways to connect to peers, ways to fund peers) and using an overall knowledge score (p<0.001). Mean satisfaction rates across indicators were between 4.3 and 4.8 out of 5.0, and 4.8 for the overall workshop. The theme of takeaways was, “We Need Our Peers.”​​
Implications
The PEER project was successful in piloting research-grounded curricula designed to enhance practitioners’ knowledge of and commitment to peer recovery, and a curriculum to equip peers with greater knowledge of practical research skills. These presentations may be further integrated into academic and professional development to promote commitments to practice-informed research and research-informed practice. The novel participatory mixed modality Delphi method used for curriculum development was seen by advisors as exemplary and may be used in other studies. The peer research skills training is being sustained in partnership with On Our Own of Maryland. The CPE workshop will be replicated to continue building commitment for peer integration. Guest lectures will be made available through ongoing partnerships with university instructors and local peer leaders as well as curriculum tools for instructors to more broadly integrate into coursework. IRIS and PEER leaders will continue to look for funding mechanisms and partners to deliver its peer focused recovery research fellowship model focused on agency workers and/or students and scale out the effective curricula piloted here.