| Abstrakt: |
In this virtual special issue, a set of 26 papers previously published in the American Journal of Community Psychology (AJCP), focused on self‐help/mutual aid groups (SH/MAGs), are being curated given their significant impact in this domain. SH/MAGs constitute an important component of the community psychology's proposal to address various psychosocial and health problems. The American Journal of Community Psychology has played an important role in exploring the characteristics of self‐help/mutual aid groups in various fields. These articles cover important areas of the study of self‐help/mutual‐aid groups. More specifically, the selected articles address issues such as the definition and key characteristics of self‐help/mutual aid groups, the main fields that are applied, such as mental health, addictions, and disabilities. The article also addresses important issues such as the place of self‐help/mutual aid groups in health systems, the experiential knowledge generated within these groups and the relationship of health professionals with these groups. The aim is this VSI to contribute to contemporary discussion on self‐help/mutual aid groups, their challenges, and their perspectives and to highlight the crucial role that community psychology has in this field. Highlights: The crucial contribution of self‐help/mutual aid groups in addressing human problems.Community psychology as a discipline enables our understanding about self‐help/mutual aid groups.Participatory action research and self‐help/mutual aid groups: a close relationship.The importance of self‐help/mutual aid groups in the field of addictions.Challenges and perspectives for self‐help/mutual aid groups in the 21st century and the role of community psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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