Mental Health Consumer Perspectives on Practitioners with Lived Experience
Study Information
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST, PARTICIPATION IN THIS STUDY IS NOW CLOSED. PLEASE CONTACT u6674497@anu.edu.au FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK.
Hi!
My name is Lillian and I am conducting research at the Australian National University for my Psychology Honours thesis. My study seeks to explore mental health consumer perspectives towards practitioners with personal (or “lived”) experience of mental illness. I would love to hear your thoughts and invite you to participate in this qualitative exploration.
With the support of my supervisor, Brett Scholz, participants will be required to complete either a survey (online) or interview (online or in-person in Canberra). The two methods of participation are offered to ensure that participants feel as comfortable as possible. Questions will explore your attitudes regarding mental health practitioners who have lived experience/s of mental illness, such as ‘how would you feel if a mental health practitioner referred to their own experience of mental illness in working with you?’. Questions will not ask about your personal experiences of mental illness, but you may choose to include this information in your responses where relevant.
Responses will then be collated, deidentified and analysed (thematically) for themes or patterns which may improve our understanding of consumer attitudes and even inform future relevant policy and academia.
Both my supervisor and I feel passionately about amplifying mental health consumer voices and more meaningfully engaging with their perspectives and would be so grateful for your support in this effort.
Please find more information below if you would like to participate.
Get Involved
Interview participation
Interviews can be arranged directly with the researcher. Interviews will take between 30-60 minutes and can be offered virtually (via Zoom) or in-person at the Australian National University in Canberra (unless otherwise arranged). I (Lillian) will be conducting the interviews, where my supervisor (Brett Scholz) may join with your permission.
Before reaching out to schedule an interview with me, please read the interview participant information sheet.
If you would like to participate in an interview, please email me at Lillian.starling@outlook.com
Survey participation
The online survey will take between 20-30 minutes and will be conducted via Qualtrics. If you would prefer to complete the online survey, please follow the steps below:
- Read the survey participant information sheet
- Access the link to the Qualtrics survey below (please note that prior to commencing the survey, you will be required to complete a consent form on the Qualtrics platform)
- When you have finished the survey, submit your responses through Qualtrics. Please feel free to reach out to the researcher or support services provided at the end of the survey (and below) if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you!
Accessing support
If participation in this researcher has led to any discomfort or distress, please reach out to myself (u6674497@anu.edu.au) or my supervisor (brett.scholz@anu.edu.au). Alternatively, please feel free to access the resources below.
Lifeline Canberra
24-hour crisis support line
Phone: 13 11 14
ANU Counselling Centre
Participants affiliated with the ANU
Phone: (02) 6125 2442
Final Thesis
I want to personally thank everyone who volunteered their time to participate in this study. As I progress this thesis’ findings through the publication process, I sincerely hope that this important work and your valuable contributions improve the service delivery of psychology and improve clinical practice in Australia. Thank you!
You can access the final thesis here if you would like to read it.