Bibliometric Analysis of Publications on Peer Support in Mental Health Nursing

Bibliometric Analysis of Publications on Peer Support in Mental Health Nursing | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Systematic Review Bibliometric Analysis of Publications on Peer Support in Mental Health Nursing Fandro Armando Tasijawa, Ah Yusuf, Joan Herly Herwawan This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7587496/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Peer support has emerged as a crucial component in mental health nursing, reflecting a paradigm shift toward inclusive, collaborative, and recovery-oriented care. Despite its growing importance, the global scholarly landscape on peer support within mental health nursing remains fragmented. This study employed a bibliometric analysis using the Web of Science Core Collection to map the evolution, productivity, and collaborative patterns of research on this topic between 1992 and 2025. A total of 292 eligible publications were analyzed with VOSviewer and Microsoft Excel to identify trends, prolific authors, journals, and geographic distribution. The findings revealed three distinct phases of development: an initial stagnant phase (1992–2009), a gradual growth phase (2010–2019), and a rapid expansion phase (2020–2025). The United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom emerged as leading contributors, whereas significant research gaps persist in South America and Africa. Co-citation and keyword analyses highlighted the centrality of themes such as recovery, empowerment, resilience, and integration of peer workers into mental health systems. This study underscores the growing recognition of peer support as a nursing intervention and calls for stronger global collaboration, particularly in underrepresented regions, to advance equitable mental health care. peer support mental health nursing bibliometric analysis recovery-oriented care Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Background Peer support in mental health nursing has emerged as an essential aspect of global mental health services, reflecting a paradigm shift toward more inclusive, collaborative, and recovery-oriented care. This approach is grounded in the principle that individuals with lived experiences of mental health problems can provide unique forms of support to one another, thereby enhancing the recovery process through shared understanding and empathy (Ibrahim et al., 2020 ). In line with this, the Mental Health Foundation in the United Kingdom defines peer support in mental health as assistance provided by those with lived experience to help others facing various mental health challenges (Hameed Shalaby & Agyapong, 2020 ). Such mutual exchange is rooted in a fundamental acceptance and appreciation of diverse mental health journeys, fostering an environment of trust and openness. Research has documented multiple benefits of integrating peer support into mental health services. Several studies demonstrate that peer support can significantly reduce distress symptoms, enhance knowledge of mental health condition management, and empower individuals through shared experiences that cultivate hope and resilience (Miyamoto & Sono, 2012 ; Mulvale et al., 2019 ). Peer support is also valuable in sharing lived experiences and navigating the complexities of accessing mental health services, thereby bridging gaps in care delivery and providing tailored support (Rice et al., 2022 ). Moreover, peer support facilitates the transition from hospital-based care to community-based services, enhancing recovery and strengthening service user engagement with mental health systems (Storm et al., 2020 ). Nevertheless, research on peer support within mental health nursing remains underdeveloped (Connors et al., 2020 ; Pereira et al., 2021 ; Raqueno et al., 2025 ). Most studies have examined peer support within the scope of general psychiatry or community mental health, while few have explicitly integrated it into the nursing domain. Furthermore, there is a lack of systematic reviews and bibliometric analyses that map publication productivity, global collaboration, and the evolution of this research area over time. This gap limits a comprehensive understanding of the development of peer support in mental health nursing worldwide, the dominant patterns in this field, and the directions for future research. In this context, bibliometric analysis serves as a powerful tool to explore trends and evaluate the scientific productivity of research. It provides a structured approach to understanding the dynamics of a discipline and offers predictive insights into its future trajectory. Therefore, this study aims to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis using both graphical and bibliometric approaches, particularly through the use of VOSviewer, to reveal the knowledge structure and advancements in research on peer support in mental health nursing. VOSviewer is a widely used tool for visualizing and analyzing academic literature, offering functions such as co-authorship, co-occurrence, citation, co-citation, and bibliographic coupling, which assist researchers in identifying patterns and trends within this field. Methods Design This study employed a bibliometric method to evaluate research on peer support in mental health nursing. A bibliometric study was chosen because it provides a robust foundation for advancing the field by offering a comprehensive overview of the literature, identifying knowledge gaps, and generating new research ideas (Xie & Kang, 2025 ). In addition, bibliometric methodology involves the application of quantitative techniques to bibliographic data. The growing use of bibliometric analysis has been recognized globally as a systematic approach to assess the current state of research across disciplines, including nursing. In this study, the bibliometric method was applied to gain a deeper understanding of research trends on peer support in mental health nursing. Search Strategy and Data Collection Data for this bibliometric study were drawn from several potential databases, including the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC), Scopus, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. Although Scopus indexes a large number of reputable journals, some have lower impact factors and limited coverage of recently published research. CINAHL and Google Scholar contain extensive literature, but they have restricted export functions and produce data formats incompatible with bibliometric analysis. In contrast, WoSCC provides richer publication and citation records while indexing only high–impact factor journals, thereby ensuring effective access to bibliographic data. Therefore, data for this analysis were collected exclusively from the Web of Science (WoS) on September 7, 2025. Using the advanced search function in WoS, specific terms were entered into the topic field, and filters were applied to refine results. The primary search keywords included: TS = (peer support) AND TS = (Nurs*) AND (mental health). To ensure accuracy and completeness, two researchers independently conducted the search, and one additional reviewer verified the results. All researchers involved in data retrieval, collection, and review worked independently. Data extraction, validation, and verification were completed within one day. This study focused on research articles published between 1997 and 2025. The initial search identified 660 articles. The scope of this review was limited to English-language articles indexed in the SCI, SSCI, and SCIE databases. Excluded from the analysis were book chapters, book reviews, meeting abstracts, editorials, proceedings papers, film reviews, letters, and review articles. To ensure accuracy, the titles, abstracts, methods, and results of all candidate studies were carefully reviewed manually. Studies irrelevant to the scope of this research were excluded. Ultimately, 292 articles were included in the final review (Fig. 1 ). Data Analysis Microsoft Office Excel 2021, MapChart, and VOSviewer (v.1.6.20) were employed to analyze 458 documents. Bibliometric information from these studies—such as the number of articles, authors, journals, and countries—was calculated using Microsoft Excel 2021. A geographic map was created using MapChart.net ( https://www.mapchart.net/world.html ) to illustrate the distribution of published articles by country. VOSviewer, a software tool specifically designed to construct and visualize bibliometric maps, was utilized for detailed analysis. This tool is particularly effective in visualizing large datasets in an accessible and interpretable manner, making it well-suited for bibliometric analysis. Results Study characteristics Our search of the WoSCC database identified 292 articles on peer support in mental health nursing, published across 148 journals between 1992 and 2025, covering a period of 33 years (Table 1 ). The analysis revealed a dynamic evolution of research activity, characterized by three distinct phases that reflect significant shifts in scholarly attention and productivity (Fig. 2 ). We analyzed the development of research into three phases: the flat growth phase, the gradual growth phase, and the rapid growth phase. Flat Growth Phase (1992–2009): This period produced only 11 articles, reflecting the early stage of research on peer support in mental health nursing, with relatively limited publication activity. The slow progress during this phase may be attributed to the relatively low prioritization of peer support within mental health nursing compared to other disciplines. Gradual Growth Phase (2010–2019): During this phase, the number of publications increased to 72 articles. Between 2010 and 2014, publications showed moderate growth, followed by a decline. A similar trend occurred between 2015 and 2018, when significant growth was followed by another decrease in 2019. This phase indicates a broader but still inconsistent expansion of research attention toward peer support in mental health nursing. Rapid Growth Phase (2020–2025): In this final phase, research output accelerated sharply, reaching 209 articles. This surge reflects a heightened scholarly focus on peer support in mental health nursing, alongside growing recognition of its importance in addressing mental health challenges through nursing practice. Taken together, these three phases illustrate the evolution of publication trends in peer support in mental health nursing: from relative stagnation, through gradual expansion, and finally into a period of marked growth and intensified scholarly activity, highlighting peer support as a critical nursing intervention. Table 1 Article metrics Year Total Articles Total number of citations % of 1992 1 0 0.34 1993 0 0 0.00 1994 1 0 0.34 1995 0 0 0.00 1996 0 0 0.00 1997 1 5 0.34 1998 0 1 0.00 1999 0 3 0.00 2000 1 6 0.34 2001 0 20 0.00 2002 0 32 0.00 2003 1 47 0.34 2004 1 26 0.34 2005 1 32 0.34 2006 0 48 0.00 2007 2 42 0.68 2008 0 31 0.00 2009 2 26 0.68 2010 3 33 1.03 2011 4 29 1.37 2012 3 21 1.03 2013 6 42 2.05 2014 10 61 3.42 2015 8 78 2.74 2016 7 114 2.40 2017 10 135 3.42 2018 14 173 4.79 2019 7 257 2.40 2020 23 268 7.88 2021 34 495 11.64 2022 37 707 12.67 2023 37 656 12.67 2024 41 746 14.04 2025 37 506 12.67 Country Analysis The distribution of countries with the highest number of publications on peer support in mental health nursing is presented in Fig. 3 . The geographic analysis of these publications shows that the United States, Australia, and England are the most prominent contributors. These countries have made significant contributions to the field in terms of both quantity and quality of research. They have also been pioneers in prioritizing and conducting studies on peer support in mental health nursing, while fostering active academic communities engaged in this topic. However, there remain notable research gaps in certain regions, particularly in South America and Africa. Furthermore, research collaborations in these regions are still underdeveloped, as reflected in the limited number of co-authorship networks with scholars from other countries (Fig. 4 ). Journal Distribution and Most Active Journals by Citation In terms of journal distribution, articles on peer support in mental health nursing were published across 148 scientific journals. Among these, 22 articles (7.53%) appeared in the Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing , while 21 articles (7.19%) were published in the International Journal of Mental Health Nursing , both categorized under nursing in the Web of Science. The journals with the highest number of publications on this topic are illustrated in Fig. 5 . Most Cited Studies The most frequently cited studies—particularly the top 10—are recognized as foundational works in this field. These studies were published between 2000 and 2021, with citation counts ranging from 25 to 436 (Table 2 ). Table 2 Top 10 cited studies Rank Title Authors Year Source Total Citation 1 Peer Support Services for Individuals With Serious Mental Illnesses: Assessing the Evidence Chinman, M., George, P., Dougherty, RH., Daniels, AS., Ghose, SS., Swift, A., Delphin-Rittmon, ME 2014 Psychiatric Services 436 2 Efficacy of nurse telehealth care and peer support in augmenting treatment of depression in primary care Hunkeler, EM., Meresman, JF., Hargreaves, WA., Fireman, B., Berman, WH., Kirsch, AJ., Groebe, J., Hurt, SW., Braden, P., Getzell, M., Feigenbaum, PA., Peng, T., Salzer, M 2000 Archives of Family Medicine 373 3 Support Groups and Individual Mental Health Care via Video Conferencing for Frontline Clinicians During the COVID-19 Pandemic Viswanathan, R., Myers, MF., Fanous, AH 2020 Psychosomatics 64 4 The effectiveness of a peer-mentored older adult fitness program on perceived physical, mental, and social function Dorgo, S., Robinson, KM., Bader, J 2009 Journal of The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners 53 5 Effectiveness of a housing support team intervention with a recovery-oriented approach on hospital and emergency department use by homeless people with severe mental illness: a randomised controlled trial Tinland, A., Loubière, S., Boucekine, M., Boyer, L., Fond, G., Girard, V., Auquier, P 2020 Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences 52 6 Depressive symptoms, college adjustment and peer support among undergraduate nursing and midwifery students Horgan, A., Sweeney, J., Behan, L., McCarthy, G 2016 Journal of Advanced Nursing 38 7 An experimental study on the effectiveness of a mutual support group for family caregivers of a relative with dementia in mainland China Wang, LQ., Chien, WT., Lee, IYM 2012 Contemporary Nurse 36 8 An exploration of graduate student peer mentorship, social connectedness and well-being across four disciplines of study Paolucci, EO., Jacobsen, M., Nowell, L., Freeman, G., Lorenzetti, L., Clancy, T., Paolucci, A., Pethrick, H., Lorenzetti, DL 2021 Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education 26 9 Qualitative study of peer workers within the "Partners in Recovery' programme in regional Australia Hurley, J., Cashin, A., Mills, J., Hutchinson, M., Kozlowski, D., Graham, I 2018 International Journal of Mental Health Nursing 26 10 Tokenistic or genuinely effective? Exploring the views of voluntary sector staff regarding the emerging peer support worker role in mental health Kilpatrick, E., Keeney, S ., McCauley, CO 2017 Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 25 Bibliometric Co-Citation Sources Analysis The analysis of publication sources is a key component in bibliometric studies, as it highlights the dissemination of research findings and identifies directions for future exploration. Examining the sources of articles within journals allows for the mapping of relationships and influence among journals in the field of peer support and mental health nursing. The greater the number of shared references between two publications, the stronger their bibliographic coupling relationship. Figure 6 presents the bibliometric map of co-citation sources. This visualization illustrates the most productive journals, where the size of each node represents the number of articles published by a given source. The top three journals in terms of output were the Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing (22 publications), the International Journal of Mental Health Nursing (21 publications), and BMJ Open (14 publications). The co-citation map (Fig. 6 ) illustrates several distinct clusters that represent different disciplinary orientations in the research field of peer support in mental health nursing. Each cluster reflects a community of journals that frequently cite one another, indicating shared thematic focus and intellectual influence. (1) Nursing Cluster: This cluster is primarily composed of journals such as the Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing and the International Journal of Mental Health Nursing . It represents the core body of nursing scholarship where peer support is examined from a practice-based perspective. The focus in this cluster is largely on nursing interventions, patient recovery processes, and the role of nurses in facilitating peer support. (2) Psychiatry Cluster: Journals such as Psychiatric Services and American Journal of Psychiatry dominate this cluster. The emphasis here is on the clinical and psychiatric dimensions of peer support, including treatment outcomes, service delivery models, and the integration of peer support into broader psychiatric care. This cluster demonstrates how nursing research is interconnected with psychiatry in addressing mental health interventions. (3) Public Health and Interdisciplinary Cluster: Journals such as BMJ Open and BMC Public Health form part of this cluster. Their orientation is broader, with attention to population health, health policy, and community-based interventions. This reflects the positioning of peer support not only as a clinical or nursing intervention but also as a public health strategy to enhance accessibility, reduce stigma, and promote recovery at the community level. Taken together, these clusters highlight the multidisciplinary nature of peer support research in mental health nursing. Nursing journals form the disciplinary core, psychiatry journals provide clinical integration, and public health journals expand the reach of peer support to a societal and policy-oriented framework. The presence of these interconnected clusters underscores the cross-disciplinary importance of peer support as both a nursing intervention and a broader mental health strategy. Topic Distribution Analysis Based in Keyword Co-Occurence Keywords effectively summarize the main ideas of a research paper and highlight its key findings. Therefore, analyzing keyword co-occurrence helps uncover the dominant themes and provides scholars with deeper insights into scientific issues. In this study, the visualization of keyword co-occurrence in the published literature on peer support in mental health nursing was performed using VOSviewer, offering a clearer understanding of the relative strength of these keywords. Out of 1,446 keywords, a total of 373 met the inclusion threshold. Figure 7 illustrates the visual connectivity of keyword co-occurrence in peer support and mental health nursing research, centered around four dominant terms: “mental health” (71 occurrences), “care” (46 occurrences), “nurses” (43 occurrences), and “peer support” (41 occurrences). These central terms are positioned at the core of the map and surrounded by nodes of varying sizes that indicate their frequency of appearance. The clustering of keywords is displayed in different colors, representing distinct thematic groups. Node size reflects the frequency of keyword occurrence, while thicker connecting lines between nodes represent stronger relationships. Accordingly, the shorter the distance between two nodes, the greater the frequency of their co-occurrence. A detailed description of the keyword clusters is provided in Table 3 . Table 3 VOSviewer keyword analysis—clusters and labels Cluster Label Mental health Anxiety, bullying, burnout, children, coping strategies, counselling, distress, empowerment, emotion regulation, family, mental illness, moral distress, residents, self-efficacy, self-esteem, social support, stress, victimization, vulnerability, work-life balance Care Attitudes, adult, care, challenges, education, experience, knowledge, lived experience, management, mental health nursing, mental health service, personal recovery, peer support services, reflections, wellbeing, therapeutic relationship, quality of life Nursing Coping, health care worker, health services, moral distress, nurses, pandemic, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychological support, health promotion, mental health recovery, nursing-students, resilience, Peer support Adherence, case management, community, mentorship, peer coaching, peer group, peer mentorship, primary health care, professional practice, quality in health care, schizophrenia, severe mental illness, social care, well-being The keyword co-occurrence analysis generated four main clusters—mental health, care, nursing, and peer support—each representing distinct yet interconnected research themes in peer support and mental health nursing. (1) Mental Health Cluster: This cluster emphasizes the psychological and emotional dimensions of mental health, including issues such as anxiety, burnout, coping strategies, counselling, emotion regulation, stress, and vulnerability . It also reflects broader concerns about empowerment, self-efficacy, social support, and work–life balance, suggesting that peer support is closely linked to both individual psychological resilience and systemic challenges in mental health. (2) Care Cluster: The care cluster highlights the delivery of mental health care and patient-centered practices, encompassing keywords such as attitudes, lived experience, management, personal recovery, peer support services, wellbeing, and quality of life . It also points to therapeutic relationships and education, reflecting the role of peer support in fostering understanding, shared experience, and improved recovery outcomes in mental health care. (3) Nursing Cluster: This cluster focuses on the professional and clinical responsibilities of nurses in the context of mental health. Keywords such as coping, health care worker, pandemic, PTSD, psychological support, health promotion, resilience, and nursing students suggest that peer support research in this cluster addresses both the well-being of nurses themselves (e.g., moral distress, stress during crises) and their role in promoting patient recovery. This indicates that peer support functions as a resource for both care providers and care recipients. (4) Peer Support Cluster: The peer support cluster centers explicitly on the mechanisms and structures of peer-based interventions, including peer mentorship, peer coaching, peer groups, and case management . It also connects peer support with specific health conditions such as schizophrenia, severe mental illness, and social care , as well as broader outcomes like adherence, quality in health care, and well-being . This demonstrates that peer support is viewed as both a structured intervention strategy and a community-based practice that strengthens recovery and service accessibility. Overall, the four clusters illustrate the multidimensional scope of peer support in mental health nursing: The mental health cluster captures the psychological challenges and individual-level outcomes. The care cluster reflects service delivery and patient-centered recovery processes. The nursing cluster emphasizes the professional role, resilience, and challenges faced by nurses. The peer support cluster highlights the practical models and structures of peer-led interventions. Together, these clusters confirm that peer support research spans across clinical, professional, psychosocial, and community-based domains, underscoring its interdisciplinary importance in mental health nursing. Bibliometric Analysis of Co-Authorship Authors The co-authorship visualization function in VOSviewer represents the collaborative contributions among scholars within a specific research domain by mapping their networks of collaboration. This approach provides insights into how researchers are interconnected and highlights those who engage in cross-disciplinary work. The co-authorship network of authors publishing on the topic of peer support in mental health nursing is presented in Fig. 8 . Out of 1,499 authors, a total of 66 met the threshold for inclusion in the analysis. Notably, Michelle Cleary emerged as the most prolific author, with four publications. The connectivity and thickness of the links between two authors represent the strength of collaboration between them. Interestingly, Alan Simpson stood out as the author with the highest total link strength (29), underscoring his central role in fostering collaboration within this field. Bibliometric Analysis of Co-Citation Network of Cited Authors To identify the most frequently cited authors in research on peer support in mental health nursing, the Co-Citation Network of Cited Authors is presented in Fig. 9 . The minimum citation threshold for inclusion was set at 10 citations. Out of 9,429 authors, a total of 34 met the threshold. The most frequently cited authors were Virginia Braun (69 citations), Brenda Happell (43 citations), and Allison Tong (30 citations). These three leading scholars are affiliated with The University of Auckland (Braun), Central Queensland University (Happell), and The University of Sydney (Tong), respectively. Collectively, their contributions have significantly advanced the fields of peer support, mental health, and nursing, shaping much of the intellectual foundation upon which current studies build. Discussion The bibliometric analysis revealed that research on peer support in mental health nursing has evolved dynamically across three distinct phases: a period of stagnation, gradual growth, and a sharp increase since 2020. This trajectory reflects the growing global recognition of peer support as a lived-experience-based intervention that enriches psychiatric nursing practice. The dominance of publications from high-income countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia underscores their pioneering role in advancing this area of research, while significant gaps remain in regions such as South America and Africa. These findings align with existing literature emphasizing that peer support has emerged as a critical component of mental health nursing, providing a foundation for empathetic connections between individuals with shared experiences (Raqueno et al., 2025 ). Peer support typically involves guidance and emotional support offered by individuals who have faced similar mental health challenges, enabling them to connect with others through shared lived experience. Interventions documented across the literature include group-based formats, one-to-one mentoring, and digital peer support, each with specific implications for psychiatric nursing practice (Boucher et al., 2022 ; Cooper et al., 2024 ; Ong et al., 2023 ; White et al., 2020 ). Group peer support for psychosis, for example, has been associated with reduced relapse and improved peer contact, underscoring the role of nurses in coordinating and maintaining group attachment in both inpatient and community settings (Gillard et al., 2020 ; Mahlke et al., 2017 ). In contrast, one-to-one peer support interventions have been shown to enhance self-efficacy and patient empowerment, suggesting opportunities for nurses to collaborate with trained peer supporters to strengthen case management and expand psychosocial interventions within routine care (Gillard et al., 2021 ; Mahlke et al., 2017 ). Peer support has been shown to significantly improve resilience, strengthen self-efficacy, and reduce emotional distress symptoms among individuals with mental illness (McLeish et al., 2023 ; Pereira et al., 2021 ; Yao et al., 2021 ). Its integration into clinical practice has also facilitated smoother transitions from institutional care to community-based services while expanding access to primary care for individuals with severe mental illness (Godfrey & Scott, 2021 ; Pereira et al., 2021 ). Thus, the rapid rise in publications since 2020 may be interpreted as a response to global demands for more inclusive and collaborative lived-experience-based interventions Nevertheless, despite the growing evidence base, variability in outcomes has been reported, shaped by contextual factors, training quality, and organizational support (Gillard et al., 2020 ; Raqueno et al., 2025 ). Prior studies highlight that the role of peer workers extends beyond emotional support; they also serve as bridges between service users and health professionals, as well as cultural change agents within clinical practice (Yeo et al., 2025 ). This aligns with the bibliometric findings, which indicate that research has increasingly focused on integrating peer support into nursing practice, with particular attention to role clarification, training structures, and implementation evaluation. From a psychiatric nursing perspective, several implications emerge. First, clear role definitions and boundaries for peer workers are needed to prevent overlap with professional staff. Second, ongoing training programs that emphasize communication skills, boundary-setting, and recovery-oriented support are essential. Third, organizational support through supervision and ethical frameworks is crucial to ensure service quality and program sustainability. This study contributes to the field in two key ways. Empirically, the observed publication trends demonstrate international recognition of the strategic role of peer support in psychiatric nursing. Practically, the findings underscore that successful implementation depends on healthcare system readiness, organizational culture, and peer worker competence. Looking ahead, further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of peer support across diverse care settings, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, to ensure its equitable and global application. Conclusion This bibliometric study demonstrates that research on peer support in mental health nursing has undergone a dynamic transformation, progressing from a marginal area of inquiry into a rapidly expanding field of scholarly attention. The surge of publications since 2020 reflects an increasing acknowledgment of peer support as a vital intervention that fosters resilience, empowerment, and smoother transitions from institutional to community-based care. However, the concentration of research in high-income countries highlights persistent geographic disparities, with limited contributions from South America and Africa. To strengthen the evidence base and ensure equitable implementation, future research should focus on cross-cultural adaptations, the development of standardized training frameworks for peer workers, and evaluations of effectiveness in diverse healthcare settings. By doing so, peer support can be more fully integrated into mental health nursing practice worldwide, enhancing inclusivity and sustainability in mental health services. Declarations Conflict of Interests Statement The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper. Funding Statement This study was funded by the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP), Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia, under Grant Number: SKPB3682/LPDP/LPDP.3/2025 Author Contribution F.A.T. conceived and designed the study, conducted the bibliometric data collection, and drafted the initial manuscript.A.Y. contributed to the methodological framework, supervised the bibliometric analysis, and provided critical revisions to the manuscript.J.H.H. performed data processing, visualization (including co-citation mapping), and contributed to the interpretation of results.All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript. 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J Nurs Adm Manag 2025(1). https://doi.org/10.1155/jonm/2169094 Yao X, Wang X, Yuan J, Huang Z, Wu D, Xu H (2021) Benefits Conferred by Peer-Support Nursing Intervention to Pulmonary Function and Quality of Life in Nonsmoking Patients with COPD. Canadian Respiratory Journal , 2021 , 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/7450979 Yeo G, Fortuna KL, Lansford JE, Rudolph KD (2025) The effects of digital peer support interventions on physical and mental health: a review and meta-analysis. Epidemiol Psychiatric Sci 34:e9. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2045796024000854 Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7587496","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Systematic Review","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":513500713,"identity":"6c4e4081-9e40-49fb-8050-a23c055b5e59","order_by":0,"name":"Fandro Armando 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1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":174130,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ePRISMA flow diagram of the study selection process\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"image1.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7587496/v1/777f9f4a985d6a6b8ad492b1.jpg"},{"id":91140226,"identity":"95908966-d4e1-4b43-bf40-7d6b528a1080","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-12 04:26:44","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":101565,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eNumber of publications and citations on peer support in mental health nursing in WoSCC from 1992 to 2025.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"image2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7587496/v1/c46e8b120cb2a97fb0d2aa70.png"},{"id":91140702,"identity":"ea918a10-eb7f-4ebd-82b3-a4d0e4b76e18","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-12 04:34:44","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":89813,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eDistribution of publications by country\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"image3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7587496/v1/96d0ba0f1a053053a80d0ba2.png"},{"id":91140230,"identity":"891dd724-a1db-43da-877e-e58dc9bf71b6","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-12 04:26:44","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":139982,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eCountries’ scientific production\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"image4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7587496/v1/86680a0dec7bb49bff8c0682.png"},{"id":91140231,"identity":"bcff7a4f-7408-4f4a-bcd2-135020fd582f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-12 04:26:44","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":532953,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eDistribution of publications by journal\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"image5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7587496/v1/d4f00f28368823ce327a08b7.png"},{"id":91140244,"identity":"4b864246-c7e0-4b6d-9a76-f639073c1778","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-12 04:26:45","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":349536,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eBibliometric Map of Co-Citation Sources\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"image6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7587496/v1/0a7fb2e1faae99a306e49098.png"},{"id":91140704,"identity":"26f8b757-6609-43f9-be9b-d963806040bf","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-12 04:34:44","extension":"png","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":753365,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eVisual connectivity of keyword co-occurrence\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"image7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7587496/v1/0591a8ea2d3cc1d0e83c8e7f.png"},{"id":91140709,"identity":"8afc9eba-77cb-4038-9001-228ff6c52ac4","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-12 04:34:45","extension":"png","order_by":8,"title":"Figure 8","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":382442,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eBibliometric Co-Authorship Map\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"image8.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7587496/v1/f13e95f4e123dca3a27e4684.png"},{"id":91140250,"identity":"66590f22-89c7-4344-b678-9eb0a12b6606","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-12 04:26:45","extension":"png","order_by":9,"title":"Figure 9","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":291374,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eCo-Citation Network of Cited Authors in peer support in mental health nursing\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"image9.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7587496/v1/b8caabd03c45c643b793ac54.png"},{"id":92062867,"identity":"3f321151-5b6b-4dc0-ba8d-1a1204e498b0","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-24 08:32:11","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":3328810,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7587496/v1/6d694456-82d3-4592-9ede-1a0bd99aa1ec.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Bibliometric Analysis of Publications on Peer Support in Mental Health Nursing","fulltext":[{"header":"Background","content":"\u003cp\u003ePeer support in mental health nursing has emerged as an essential aspect of global mental health services, reflecting a paradigm shift toward more inclusive, collaborative, and recovery-oriented care. This approach is grounded in the principle that individuals with lived experiences of mental health problems can provide unique forms of support to one another, thereby enhancing the recovery process through shared understanding and empathy (Ibrahim et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). In line with this, the Mental Health Foundation in the United Kingdom defines peer support in mental health as assistance provided by those with lived experience to help others facing various mental health challenges (Hameed Shalaby \u0026amp; Agyapong, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Such mutual exchange is rooted in a fundamental acceptance and appreciation of diverse mental health journeys, fostering an environment of trust and openness.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch has documented multiple benefits of integrating peer support into mental health services. Several studies demonstrate that peer support can significantly reduce distress symptoms, enhance knowledge of mental health condition management, and empower individuals through shared experiences that cultivate hope and resilience (Miyamoto \u0026amp; Sono, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e; Mulvale et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). Peer support is also valuable in sharing lived experiences and navigating the complexities of accessing mental health services, thereby bridging gaps in care delivery and providing tailored support (Rice et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Moreover, peer support facilitates the transition from hospital-based care to community-based services, enhancing recovery and strengthening service user engagement with mental health systems (Storm et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNevertheless, research on peer support within mental health nursing remains underdeveloped (Connors et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Pereira et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Raqueno et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Most studies have examined peer support within the scope of general psychiatry or community mental health, while few have explicitly integrated it into the nursing domain. Furthermore, there is a lack of systematic reviews and bibliometric analyses that map publication productivity, global collaboration, and the evolution of this research area over time. This gap limits a comprehensive understanding of the development of peer support in mental health nursing worldwide, the dominant patterns in this field, and the directions for future research.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this context, bibliometric analysis serves as a powerful tool to explore trends and evaluate the scientific productivity of research. It provides a structured approach to understanding the dynamics of a discipline and offers predictive insights into its future trajectory. Therefore, this study aims to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis using both graphical and bibliometric approaches, particularly through the use of VOSviewer, to reveal the knowledge structure and advancements in research on peer support in mental health nursing. VOSviewer is a widely used tool for visualizing and analyzing academic literature, offering functions such as co-authorship, co-occurrence, citation, co-citation, and bibliographic coupling, which assist researchers in identifying patterns and trends within this field.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eDesign\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study employed a bibliometric method to evaluate research on peer support in mental health nursing. A bibliometric study was chosen because it provides a robust foundation for advancing the field by offering a comprehensive overview of the literature, identifying knowledge gaps, and generating new research ideas (Xie \u0026amp; Kang, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). In addition, bibliometric methodology involves the application of quantitative techniques to bibliographic data. The growing use of bibliometric analysis has been recognized globally as a systematic approach to assess the current state of research across disciplines, including nursing. In this study, the bibliometric method was applied to gain a deeper understanding of research trends on peer support in mental health nursing.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSearch Strategy and Data Collection\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData for this bibliometric study were drawn from several potential databases, including the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC), Scopus, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. Although Scopus indexes a large number of reputable journals, some have lower impact factors and limited coverage of recently published research. CINAHL and Google Scholar contain extensive literature, but they have restricted export functions and produce data formats incompatible with bibliometric analysis. In contrast, WoSCC provides richer publication and citation records while indexing only high\u0026ndash;impact factor journals, thereby ensuring effective access to bibliographic data. Therefore, data for this analysis were collected exclusively from the Web of Science (WoS) on September 7, 2025.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUsing the advanced search function in WoS, specific terms were entered into the topic field, and filters were applied to refine results. The primary search keywords included:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTS = (peer support) AND TS = (Nurs*) AND (mental health).\u003c/em\u003e To ensure accuracy and completeness, two researchers independently conducted the search, and one additional reviewer verified the results. All researchers involved in data retrieval, collection, and review worked independently. Data extraction, validation, and verification were completed within one day.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study focused on research articles published between 1997 and 2025. The initial search identified 660 articles. The scope of this review was limited to English-language articles indexed in the SCI, SSCI, and SCIE databases. Excluded from the analysis were book chapters, book reviews, meeting abstracts, editorials, proceedings papers, film reviews, letters, and review articles. To ensure accuracy, the titles, abstracts, methods, and results of all candidate studies were carefully reviewed manually. Studies irrelevant to the scope of this research were excluded. Ultimately, 292 articles were included in the final review (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eMicrosoft Office Excel 2021, MapChart, and VOSviewer (v.1.6.20) were employed to analyze 458 documents. Bibliometric information from these studies\u0026mdash;such as the number of articles, authors, journals, and countries\u0026mdash;was calculated using Microsoft Excel 2021. A geographic map was created using MapChart.net (\u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://www.mapchart.net/world.html\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"https://www.mapchart.net/world.html\" targettype=\"URL\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e) to illustrate the distribution of published articles by country. VOSviewer, a software tool specifically designed to construct and visualize bibliometric maps, was utilized for detailed analysis. This tool is particularly effective in visualizing large datasets in an accessible and interpretable manner, making it well-suited for bibliometric analysis.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eStudy characteristics\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur search of the WoSCC database identified 292 articles on peer support in mental health nursing, published across 148 journals between 1992 and 2025, covering a period of 33 years (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e). The analysis revealed a dynamic evolution of research activity, characterized by three distinct phases that reflect significant shifts in scholarly attention and productivity (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe analyzed the development of research into three phases: the flat growth phase, the gradual growth phase, and the rapid growth phase. Flat Growth Phase (1992\u0026ndash;2009): This period produced only 11 articles, reflecting the early stage of research on peer support in mental health nursing, with relatively limited publication activity. The slow progress during this phase may be attributed to the relatively low prioritization of peer support within mental health nursing compared to other disciplines. Gradual Growth Phase (2010\u0026ndash;2019): During this phase, the number of publications increased to 72 articles. Between 2010 and 2014, publications showed moderate growth, followed by a decline. A similar trend occurred between 2015 and 2018, when significant growth was followed by another decrease in 2019. This phase indicates a broader but still inconsistent expansion of research attention toward peer support in mental health nursing. Rapid Growth Phase (2020\u0026ndash;2025): In this final phase, research output accelerated sharply, reaching 209 articles. This surge reflects a heightened scholarly focus on peer support in mental health nursing, alongside growing recognition of its importance in addressing mental health challenges through nursing practice. Taken together, these three phases illustrate the evolution of publication trends in peer support in mental health nursing: from relative stagnation, through gradual expansion, and finally into a period of marked growth and intensified scholarly activity, highlighting peer support as a critical nursing intervention.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eArticle metrics\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYear\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTotal Articles\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTotal number of citations\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e% of\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1992\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1993\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1994\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1995\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1996\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1997\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1998\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1999\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2000\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2002\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2003\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e47\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2004\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2005\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2006\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e48\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2007\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e42\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.68\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2008\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2009\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.68\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2010\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.03\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2011\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e29\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2012\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.03\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2013\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e42\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.05\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2014\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e61\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.42\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2015\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e78\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.74\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2016\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e114\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.40\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2017\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e135\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.42\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2018\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e173\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.79\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2019\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e257\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.40\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2020\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e268\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.88\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2021\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e495\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11.64\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2022\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e707\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2023\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e656\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2024\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e41\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e746\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.04\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2025\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e506\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eCountry Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe distribution of countries with the highest number of publications on peer support in mental health nursing is presented in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e. The geographic analysis of these publications shows that the United States, Australia, and England are the most prominent contributors. These countries have made significant contributions to the field in terms of both quantity and quality of research. They have also been pioneers in prioritizing and conducting studies on peer support in mental health nursing, while fostering active academic communities engaged in this topic. However, there remain notable research gaps in certain regions, particularly in South America and Africa. Furthermore, research collaborations in these regions are still underdeveloped, as reflected in the limited number of co-authorship networks with scholars from other countries (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eJournal Distribution and Most Active Journals by Citation\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn terms of journal distribution, articles on peer support in mental health nursing were published across 148 scientific journals. Among these, 22 articles (7.53%) appeared in the \u003cem\u003eJournal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing\u003c/em\u003e, while 21 articles (7.19%) were published in the \u003cem\u003eInternational Journal of Mental Health Nursing\u003c/em\u003e, both categorized under nursing in the Web of Science. The journals with the highest number of publications on this topic are illustrated in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMost Cited Studies\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe most frequently cited studies\u0026mdash;particularly the top 10\u0026mdash;are recognized as foundational works in this field. These studies were published between 2000 and 2021, with citation counts ranging from 25 to 436 (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTop 10 cited studies\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRank\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTitle\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAuthors\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYear\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSource\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTotal Citation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePeer Support Services for Individuals With Serious Mental Illnesses: Assessing the Evidence\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eChinman, M., George, P., Dougherty, RH., Daniels, AS., Ghose, SS., Swift, A., Delphin-Rittmon, ME\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2014\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePsychiatric Services\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e436\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEfficacy of nurse telehealth care and peer support in augmenting treatment of depression in primary care\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHunkeler, EM., Meresman, JF., Hargreaves, WA., Fireman, B., Berman, WH., Kirsch, AJ., Groebe, J., Hurt, SW., Braden, P., Getzell, M., Feigenbaum, PA., Peng, T., Salzer, M\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2000\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eArchives of Family Medicine\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e373\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSupport Groups and Individual Mental Health Care via Video Conferencing for Frontline Clinicians During the COVID-19 Pandemic\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eViswanathan, R., Myers, MF., Fanous, AH\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2020\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePsychosomatics\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e64\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe effectiveness of a peer-mentored older adult fitness program on perceived physical, mental, and social function\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDorgo, S., Robinson, KM., Bader, J\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2009\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eJournal of The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e53\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEffectiveness of a housing support team intervention with a recovery-oriented approach on hospital and emergency department use by homeless people with severe mental illness: a randomised controlled trial\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTinland, A., Loubi\u0026egrave;re, S., Boucekine, M., Boyer, L., Fond, G., Girard, V., Auquier, P\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2020\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEpidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e52\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDepressive symptoms, college adjustment and peer support among undergraduate nursing and midwifery students\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHorgan, A., Sweeney, J., Behan, L., McCarthy, G\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2016\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eJournal of Advanced Nursing\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e38\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn experimental study on the effectiveness of a mutual support group for family caregivers of a relative with dementia in mainland China\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWang, LQ., Chien, WT., Lee, IYM\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2012\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eContemporary Nurse\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e36\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn exploration of graduate student peer mentorship, social connectedness and well-being across four disciplines of study\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePaolucci, EO., Jacobsen, M., Nowell, L., Freeman, G., Lorenzetti, L., Clancy, T., Paolucci, A., Pethrick, H., Lorenzetti, DL\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2021\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStudies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQualitative study of peer workers within the \"Partners in Recovery' programme in regional Australia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHurley, J., \u0026nbsp;Cashin, A., Mills, J., \u0026nbsp;Hutchinson, M., Kozlowski, D., Graham, I\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2018\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInternational Journal of Mental Health Nursing\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTokenistic or genuinely effective? Exploring the views of voluntary sector staff regarding the emerging peer support worker role in mental health\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eKilpatrick, E., Keeney, S\u0026nbsp;., McCauley, CO\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2017\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eJournal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eBibliometric Co-Citation Sources Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe analysis of publication sources is a key component in bibliometric studies, as it highlights the dissemination of research findings and identifies directions for future exploration. Examining the sources of articles within journals allows for the mapping of relationships and influence among journals in the field of peer support and mental health nursing. The greater the number of shared references between two publications, the stronger their bibliographic coupling relationship.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e presents the bibliometric map of co-citation sources. This visualization illustrates the most productive journals, where the size of each node represents the number of articles published by a given source. The top three journals in terms of output were the \u003cem\u003eJournal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing\u003c/em\u003e (22 publications), the \u003cem\u003eInternational Journal of Mental Health Nursing\u003c/em\u003e (21 publications), and \u003cem\u003eBMJ Open\u003c/em\u003e (14 publications).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe co-citation map (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e) illustrates several distinct clusters that represent different disciplinary orientations in the research field of peer support in mental health nursing. Each cluster reflects a community of journals that frequently cite one another, indicating shared thematic focus and intellectual influence. (1) Nursing Cluster: This cluster is primarily composed of journals such as the \u003cem\u003eJournal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing\u003c/em\u003e and the \u003cem\u003eInternational Journal of Mental Health Nursing\u003c/em\u003e. It represents the core body of nursing scholarship where peer support is examined from a practice-based perspective. The focus in this cluster is largely on nursing interventions, patient recovery processes, and the role of nurses in facilitating peer support. (2) Psychiatry Cluster: Journals such as \u003cem\u003ePsychiatric Services\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eAmerican Journal of Psychiatry\u003c/em\u003e dominate this cluster. The emphasis here is on the clinical and psychiatric dimensions of peer support, including treatment outcomes, service delivery models, and the integration of peer support into broader psychiatric care. This cluster demonstrates how nursing research is interconnected with psychiatry in addressing mental health interventions. (3) Public Health and Interdisciplinary Cluster: Journals such as \u003cem\u003eBMJ Open\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eBMC Public Health\u003c/em\u003e form part of this cluster. Their orientation is broader, with attention to population health, health policy, and community-based interventions. This reflects the positioning of peer support not only as a clinical or nursing intervention but also as a public health strategy to enhance accessibility, reduce stigma, and promote recovery at the community level.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTaken together, these clusters highlight the multidisciplinary nature of peer support research in mental health nursing. Nursing journals form the disciplinary core, psychiatry journals provide clinical integration, and public health journals expand the reach of peer support to a societal and policy-oriented framework. The presence of these interconnected clusters underscores the cross-disciplinary importance of peer support as both a nursing intervention and a broader mental health strategy.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTopic Distribution Analysis Based in Keyword Co-Occurence\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eKeywords effectively summarize the main ideas of a research paper and highlight its key findings. Therefore, analyzing keyword co-occurrence helps uncover the dominant themes and provides scholars with deeper insights into scientific issues. In this study, the visualization of keyword co-occurrence in the published literature on peer support in mental health nursing was performed using VOSviewer, offering a clearer understanding of the relative strength of these keywords.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOut of 1,446 keywords, a total of 373 met the inclusion threshold. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e illustrates the visual connectivity of keyword co-occurrence in peer support and mental health nursing research, centered around four dominant terms: \u0026ldquo;mental health\u0026rdquo; (71 occurrences), \u0026ldquo;care\u0026rdquo; (46 occurrences), \u0026ldquo;nurses\u0026rdquo; (43 occurrences), and \u0026ldquo;peer support\u0026rdquo; (41 occurrences). These central terms are positioned at the core of the map and surrounded by nodes of varying sizes that indicate their frequency of appearance.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe clustering of keywords is displayed in different colors, representing distinct thematic groups. Node size reflects the frequency of keyword occurrence, while thicker connecting lines between nodes represent stronger relationships. Accordingly, the shorter the distance between two nodes, the greater the frequency of their co-occurrence. A detailed description of the keyword clusters is provided in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVOSviewer keyword analysis\u0026mdash;clusters and labels\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"2\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCluster\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLabel\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMental health\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnxiety, bullying, burnout, children, coping strategies, counselling, distress, empowerment, emotion regulation, family, mental illness, moral distress, residents, self-efficacy, self-esteem, social support, stress, victimization, vulnerability, work-life balance\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCare\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAttitudes, adult, care, challenges, education, experience, knowledge, lived experience, management, mental health nursing, mental health service, personal recovery, peer support services, reflections, wellbeing, therapeutic relationship, quality of life\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNursing\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCoping, health care worker, health services, moral distress, nurses, pandemic, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychological support, health promotion, mental health recovery, nursing-students, resilience,\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePeer support\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdherence, case management, community, mentorship, peer coaching, peer group, peer mentorship, primary health care, professional practice, quality in health care, schizophrenia, severe mental illness, social care, well-being\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe keyword co-occurrence analysis generated four main clusters\u0026mdash;mental health, care, nursing, and peer support\u0026mdash;each representing distinct yet interconnected research themes in peer support and mental health nursing. (1) Mental Health Cluster: This cluster emphasizes the psychological and emotional dimensions of mental health, including issues such as \u003cem\u003eanxiety, burnout, coping strategies, counselling, emotion regulation, stress, and vulnerability\u003c/em\u003e. It also reflects broader concerns about empowerment, self-efficacy, social support, and work\u0026ndash;life balance, suggesting that peer support is closely linked to both individual psychological resilience and systemic challenges in mental health. (2) Care Cluster: The care cluster highlights the delivery of mental health care and patient-centered practices, encompassing keywords such as \u003cem\u003eattitudes, lived experience, management, personal recovery, peer support services, wellbeing, and quality of life\u003c/em\u003e. It also points to therapeutic relationships and education, reflecting the role of peer support in fostering understanding, shared experience, and improved recovery outcomes in mental health care. (3) Nursing Cluster: This cluster focuses on the professional and clinical responsibilities of nurses in the context of mental health. Keywords such as \u003cem\u003ecoping, health care worker, pandemic, PTSD, psychological support, health promotion, resilience, and nursing students\u003c/em\u003e suggest that peer support research in this cluster addresses both the well-being of nurses themselves (e.g., moral distress, stress during crises) and their role in promoting patient recovery. This indicates that peer support functions as a resource for both care providers and care recipients. (4) Peer Support Cluster: The peer support cluster centers explicitly on the mechanisms and structures of peer-based interventions, including \u003cem\u003epeer mentorship, peer coaching, peer groups, and case management\u003c/em\u003e. It also connects peer support with specific health conditions such as \u003cem\u003eschizophrenia, severe mental illness, and social care\u003c/em\u003e, as well as broader outcomes like \u003cem\u003eadherence, quality in health care, and well-being\u003c/em\u003e. This demonstrates that peer support is viewed as both a structured intervention strategy and a community-based practice that strengthens recovery and service accessibility.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOverall, the four clusters illustrate the multidimensional scope of peer support in mental health nursing: The \u003cem\u003emental health\u003c/em\u003e cluster captures the psychological challenges and individual-level outcomes. The \u003cem\u003ecare\u003c/em\u003e cluster reflects service delivery and patient-centered recovery processes. The \u003cem\u003enursing\u003c/em\u003e cluster emphasizes the professional role, resilience, and challenges faced by nurses. The \u003cem\u003epeer support\u003c/em\u003e cluster highlights the practical models and structures of peer-led interventions. Together, these clusters confirm that peer support research spans across clinical, professional, psychosocial, and community-based domains, underscoring its interdisciplinary importance in mental health nursing.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eBibliometric Analysis of Co-Authorship Authors\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe co-authorship visualization function in VOSviewer represents the collaborative contributions among scholars within a specific research domain by mapping their networks of collaboration. This approach provides insights into how researchers are interconnected and highlights those who engage in cross-disciplinary work.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe co-authorship network of authors publishing on the topic of peer support in mental health nursing is presented in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e. Out of 1,499 authors, a total of 66 met the threshold for inclusion in the analysis. Notably, Michelle Cleary emerged as the most prolific author, with four publications. The connectivity and thickness of the links between two authors represent the strength of collaboration between them. Interestingly, Alan Simpson stood out as the author with the highest total link strength (29), underscoring his central role in fostering collaboration within this field.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eBibliometric Analysis of Co-Citation Network of Cited Authors\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo identify the most frequently cited authors in research on peer support in mental health nursing, the Co-Citation Network of Cited Authors is presented in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig9\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e. The minimum citation threshold for inclusion was set at 10 citations. Out of 9,429 authors, a total of 34 met the threshold.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe most frequently cited authors were Virginia Braun (69 citations), Brenda Happell (43 citations), and Allison Tong (30 citations). These three leading scholars are affiliated with The University of Auckland (Braun), Central Queensland University (Happell), and The University of Sydney (Tong), respectively. Collectively, their contributions have significantly advanced the fields of peer support, mental health, and nursing, shaping much of the intellectual foundation upon which current studies build.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe bibliometric analysis revealed that research on peer support in mental health nursing has evolved dynamically across three distinct phases: a period of stagnation, gradual growth, and a sharp increase since 2020. This trajectory reflects the growing global recognition of peer support as a lived-experience-based intervention that enriches psychiatric nursing practice. The dominance of publications from high-income countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia underscores their pioneering role in advancing this area of research, while significant gaps remain in regions such as South America and Africa.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese findings align with existing literature emphasizing that peer support has emerged as a critical component of mental health nursing, providing a foundation for empathetic connections between individuals with shared experiences (Raqueno et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Peer support typically involves guidance and emotional support offered by individuals who have faced similar mental health challenges, enabling them to connect with others through shared lived experience. Interventions documented across the literature include group-based formats, one-to-one mentoring, and digital peer support, each with specific implications for psychiatric nursing practice (Boucher et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Cooper et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Ong et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; White et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Group peer support for psychosis, for example, has been associated with reduced relapse and improved peer contact, underscoring the role of nurses in coordinating and maintaining group attachment in both inpatient and community settings (Gillard et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Mahlke et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). In contrast, one-to-one peer support interventions have been shown to enhance self-efficacy and patient empowerment, suggesting opportunities for nurses to collaborate with trained peer supporters to strengthen case management and expand psychosocial interventions within routine care (Gillard et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Mahlke et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePeer support has been shown to significantly improve resilience, strengthen self-efficacy, and reduce emotional distress symptoms among individuals with mental illness (McLeish et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Pereira et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Yao et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Its integration into clinical practice has also facilitated smoother transitions from institutional care to community-based services while expanding access to primary care for individuals with severe mental illness (Godfrey \u0026amp; Scott, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Pereira et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Thus, the rapid rise in publications since 2020 may be interpreted as a response to global demands for more inclusive and collaborative lived-experience-based interventions\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNevertheless, despite the growing evidence base, variability in outcomes has been reported, shaped by contextual factors, training quality, and organizational support (Gillard et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Raqueno et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Prior studies highlight that the role of peer workers extends beyond emotional support; they also serve as bridges between service users and health professionals, as well as cultural change agents within clinical practice (Yeo et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). This aligns with the bibliometric findings, which indicate that research has increasingly focused on integrating peer support into nursing practice, with particular attention to role clarification, training structures, and implementation evaluation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom a psychiatric nursing perspective, several implications emerge. First, clear role definitions and boundaries for peer workers are needed to prevent overlap with professional staff. Second, ongoing training programs that emphasize communication skills, boundary-setting, and recovery-oriented support are essential. Third, organizational support through supervision and ethical frameworks is crucial to ensure service quality and program sustainability.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study contributes to the field in two key ways. Empirically, the observed publication trends demonstrate international recognition of the strategic role of peer support in psychiatric nursing. Practically, the findings underscore that successful implementation depends on healthcare system readiness, organizational culture, and peer worker competence. Looking ahead, further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of peer support across diverse care settings, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, to ensure its equitable and global application.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis bibliometric study demonstrates that research on peer support in mental health nursing has undergone a dynamic transformation, progressing from a marginal area of inquiry into a rapidly expanding field of scholarly attention. The surge of publications since 2020 reflects an increasing acknowledgment of peer support as a vital intervention that fosters resilience, empowerment, and smoother transitions from institutional to community-based care. However, the concentration of research in high-income countries highlights persistent geographic disparities, with limited contributions from South America and Africa. To strengthen the evidence base and ensure equitable implementation, future research should focus on cross-cultural adaptations, the development of standardized training frameworks for peer workers, and evaluations of effectiveness in diverse healthcare settings. By doing so, peer support can be more fully integrated into mental health nursing practice worldwide, enhancing inclusivity and sustainability in mental health services.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConflict of Interests Statement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding Statement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was funded by the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP), Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia, under Grant Number: SKPB3682/LPDP/LPDP.3/2025\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eF.A.T. conceived and designed the study, conducted the bibliometric data collection, and drafted the initial manuscript.A.Y. contributed to the methodological framework, supervised the bibliometric analysis, and provided critical revisions to the manuscript.J.H.H. performed data processing, visualization (including co-citation mapping), and contributed to the interpretation of results.All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBoucher J, Subramonian A, Hill S, Gates M, Brundisini F, Severn M, Kaunelis D, Smith A, Helis E (2022) Peer Support Programs for Youth Mental Health. 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Epidemiol Psychiatric Sci 34:e9. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1017/S2045796024000854\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1017/S2045796024000854\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"peer support, mental health, nursing, bibliometric analysis, recovery-oriented care","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7587496/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7587496/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003ePeer support has emerged as a crucial component in mental health nursing, reflecting a paradigm shift toward inclusive, collaborative, and recovery-oriented care. Despite its growing importance, the global scholarly landscape on peer support within mental health nursing remains fragmented. This study employed a bibliometric analysis using the Web of Science Core Collection to map the evolution, productivity, and collaborative patterns of research on this topic between 1992 and 2025. A total of 292 eligible publications were analyzed with VOSviewer and Microsoft Excel to identify trends, prolific authors, journals, and geographic distribution. The findings revealed three distinct phases of development: an initial stagnant phase (1992\u0026ndash;2009), a gradual growth phase (2010\u0026ndash;2019), and a rapid expansion phase (2020\u0026ndash;2025). The United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom emerged as leading contributors, whereas significant research gaps persist in South America and Africa. Co-citation and keyword analyses highlighted the centrality of themes such as recovery, empowerment, resilience, and integration of peer workers into mental health systems. This study underscores the growing recognition of peer support as a nursing intervention and calls for stronger global collaboration, particularly in underrepresented regions, to advance equitable mental health care.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Bibliometric Analysis of Publications on Peer Support in Mental Health Nursing","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-09-12 04:26:39","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7587496/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"04a389b5-517c-427d-826e-0432a2ba96e7","owner":[],"postedDate":"September 12th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-09-24T08:24:00+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-09-12 04:26:39","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7587496","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7587496","identity":"rs-7587496","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}