Participation of mental health consumers in research: training addressed and reliability assessed.
BACKGROUND
A call for active inclusion of consumers in research; recognising and valuing the knowledge that arises through lived experience, is made in the literature. However, genuine inclusion of consumers as members of the research team remains rare. Opponents present two barriers: lack of required knowledge and skills and lack of capacity to conduct rigorous research.


METHODS
This study involved a collaborative process to develop training materials for consumer researchers. Reliability of self-report outcome data collected by five trained consumers was then examined.


RESULTS
Quantitative results suggest that trained consumers can facilitate self-report interviews to the high standard expected by the general research community.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides both methods and resources to extend occupational therapy consumer-centred practice into the realm of research.
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Lidcombe, NSW, Australia. nicola.hancock@sydney.edu.au
Nicola
N
Hancock
Anita
A
Bundy
Sally
S
Tamsett
Mark
M
McMahon
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012559:Schizophrenia; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult