Evolution of the peer specialist role during COVID-19: Challenges and opportunities for innovation beyond the COVID-19 era.

OBJECTIVE: To examine peer specialist role-related challenges and opportunities in adapting to a new model of service provision during and beyond the COVID-19 era. METHOD: This mixed-methods study analyzes data from a survey (n = 186) as well as in-depth interviews (n = 30) with certified peer specialists in Texas. RESULTS: Peers described facing several challenges related to COVID-19 service delivery (e.g., fewer options for providing peer support, issues with access to reliable technology) as well as challenges related to adapting to changes to the peer role (e.g., challenges supporting people in services' community resource needs, challenges building rapport with people in services virtually). However, results also indicate that a new model of service provision during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic presented peers with new opportunities to provide enhanced peer services, new career development opportunities, and new opportunities related to increased job flexibility. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Results suggest the importance of developing trainings on providing virtual peer support, increasing technological access for peers and individuals in services, and providing peers with flexible job options and resiliency-focused supervision. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

A systematic review of the psychosocial impact of emotional numbing in US combat veterans.

CONTEXT: Previous studies have linked posttraumatic emotional numbing symptoms in US combat veterans with an adverse impact in multiple important life domains. OBJECTIVES: We updated and evaluated the evidence examining the psychosocial impact of combat-related emotional numbing, including ethnoracial and gender differences. METHOD: We reviewed 1,209 articles published betwen January 2012 and 2018 and selected 24 studies for inclusion. We assessed the overall study quality as fair using a national quality assessment tool. RESULTS: Studies found emotional numbing to wield adverse effects in the areas of symptom nonimprovement, mental health difficulties, increased service utilization, poor relationship functioning, reduced quality of life, substance use disorders, suicidality, and aggression/violence. We also found evidence of ethnoracial and gender differences in veterans' posttraumatic stress disorder-related emotional numbing symptoms. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should incorporate findings on emotional numbing into assessment, treatment planning, and monitoring, to improve treatment retention and psychosocial outcomes. Implications for ethnoracial and gender differences require further exploration.