Mental Health Support Workers Recovery Perceptions and Positive Risk-Taking Approaches Related to Service-Users with a Dual Diagnosis

ABSTRACT

Twenty-nine mental health support workers took part in an online-survey consisting of a vignette and scenarios to elicit information regarding their recovery perceptions and positive-risk taking approaches related to service-users with dual-diagnoses of mental illness and substance use disorder. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the survey-responses. Although the participants emphasized some aspects aligning with the recommended “recovery-oriented practice” approach, there was an overemphasis on reduced substance-use, aversive and overprotective approaches to positive risk-taking and a lack of emphasis on hope and the service-users’ strengths and abilities. It was concluded that there is a continuing need to implement recovery-oriented practice within mental health services.

KEYWORDS:

• Dual diagnosis
• substance use disorder
• mental illness
• recovery-oriented practice
• positive risk-taking
• mental health support worker

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the participants who contributed with their time and effort to partake in the present study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors upon request, without undue reservation.

Supplementary Material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/07347324.2023.2234307

Additional information

Funding

The University of South Wales stood for the open access fees.