Peer support workers’ experiences of supporting women with postnatal depression: a constant comparative exploration

Objective: To explore the lived experiences of peer support workers (PSWs) during their intervention with mothers suffering from postnatal depression (PND).

Background: Postnatal depression is a major public health concern affecting approximately 13% of women worldwide. There is evidence within recent literature that peer support may have a positive effect upon women suffering with PND.

Methods: Written data from the PSW’s logbooks, interviews and supervisory sessions was collected and thematically analysed.

Results: Data were analysed using a constant comparative method and four key themes emerged. These were: changing perspectives of the PSW, their personal self-analysis and recognition, concern about the abandonment of the women that they had been supporting and self-recovery from postnatal depression.

Conclusion: Findings indicate that PSWs choose to offer support based upon their own experiences, rejecting formal counselling therapies. This study found that peer-designed interventions do appear to have some merit.

Keywords: Mental health, peer support, experiences, empathy, self-recognition