Learning about service user involvement in mental health research

Service user involvement in mental health research is a relatively new concept for health professionals. The aims of this paper were to investigate: how far service user involvement in mental health research appears to have been understood, how far it is happening, reasons why service users get involved in research, and barriers to closer involvement from both service user and researcher perspectives. The literature was examined to explore the extent of service user involvement in mental health research, and ways in which service users are carrying out research. It was concluded that while there is little empirical research in this area, increasingly service user involvement in mental health research can be found in the peer-reviewed domain, and at all levels of the research process. The alternative literature (including what is commonly called the grey literature) offers a rich source to learn from. Consideration of the barriers to closer service user involvement highlights likely challenges to traditional researcher-led ideologies and processes. Declaration of interest: None.