Recovery and practice-based evidence: reconnecting the diverging discourses in mental health
| Pages | 34-42 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-09-2016-0028 |
| Date | 13 February 2017 |
| Published date | 13 February 2017 |
| Author | Padraig Collins,Sarah Crowe |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion |
Recovery and practice-based evidence:
reconnecting the diverging discourses
in mental health
Padraig Collins and Sarah Crowe
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to explore the discourses which exist around the alleviation of
mental distress, from the different perspective of mental health professionals and service users. It then
looks at the use of “practice-based evidence”as a means of bringing together these two diverging
discourses.
Design/methodology/approach –Literature on the discourses which exist around the cause and
treatment of mental distress, from the perspective of professionals and service users, is first explored.
Differences between these two discourses are identified, as are theoretical and practical limitations of current
professional diagnostic and treatment paradigms. Finally the use of practice-based evidence as a means of
bridging the gap between these two discourses is outlined.
Findings –This paper highlights marked differences between the discourse which exists for professionals,
and that for service users, around alleviating mental distress. The use of practice-based evidence is explored,
not only as a means of bringing these two varying discourses together, but also as a tool which could help to
improve treatment outcome in a way which is more inclusive of service users and fits with both empiricism
and a broader recovery ethos.
Originality/value –This paper applies a “practice-based evidence”approach to bringing together the
divergent perspectives regarding mental health of service providers and users. In doing so it provides a
practical and pragmatic approach to true collaborative working.
Keywords Mental health, Recovery, Practice-based evidence, Discourses, Service user
Paper type Viewpoint
Introduction
Mental health professionals and those that use mental health services commonly begin from a
similar position. Both parties seek the alleviation of mental health distress and believe that
receiving support from others can be important in achieving this. From this point onward,
however, mental health professionals have diverged from service users in their ways of
understanding distress, their ways of seeking solutions for mental distress and consequently
inthetypeofsolutionstheypromote.
Mental health professional discourse
Causes of mental distress
Given the diversity of professional disciplines and specialisms within mental health it is
understandable that a range of views exist about the key agents involved in the origin of
mental distress. Nevertheless, across many disciplines the most dominant paradigm
remains that of the “stress-diathesis”approach whereby constitutional or genetic
predispositions to mental diseases are “triggered”or exacerbated by environmental
factors (Zuckerman, 1999).
Padraig Collins is a Clinical
Psychologist at the
Roscommon Psychology
Department, Health Services
Executive, Roscommon,
Ireland.
Sarah Crowe is based at the
Roscommon Psychology
Department, Health Services
Executive, Roscommon,
Ireland.
PAG E 34
j
MENTALHEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
VOL. 21 NO. 1 2017, pp. 34-42, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308 DOI 10.1108/MHSI-09-2016-0028
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