They are a different breed aren’t they? Exploring how experts by experience influence students through mental health education

Experts by Experience (EBE) in mental health are increasingly becoming involved in the education of health professionals. In response, research findings suggest positive attitudinal change towards people who experience mental distress and enhanced appreciation of recovery and person-centred approaches to practice. However, this growing body of evidence has not resulted in the broad adoption of these roles in academia. The perspectives of academics instrumental in implementing academic positions for EBE (referred to as allies) have not yet been articulated. Acknowledging this gap, the aim of this research was to explore experiences of allies involved in implementing EBE positions in academia regarding the impact of EBE led education on students. Qualitative exploratory methods were used involving in-depth interviews with allies. Data were analysed thematically. Participants observed significant positive impacts on students, as evidenced through four themes: contextualized learning, enhancing reflection, feedback from the clinical field, and students’ own lived experience. The fifth sub-theme, Challenging experiences were observed to potentially detract from the student experience in some instances. Overall, participants were very supportive of EBE involvement and were confident this approach produced more person-centred and recovery-oriented clinicians, with the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to work as practitioners. These findings support previous research and suggest positive implications for clinical practice and for students with their own mental health challenges.