Intervention Service For First-episode Psychosis Research Articles

Short-term disengagement from early intervention service for first-episode psychosis: findings from the “Parma Early Psychosis” program

PurposeService disengagement is a major concern for “Early Intervention in Psychosis” (EIP). Indeed, identifying predictors of engagement is crucial to maximize mental healthcare interventions in first-episode psychosis (FEP). No Italian study on this topic has been reported to date. Thus, the aims of this investigation were: (1) to examine short-term disengagement rate in an Italian population of FEP patients treated within an EIP service across a 1-year follow-up period, and (b) to assess the most relevant predictors of disengagement in the first year of treatment.MethodsAll participants were young FEP help-seeking patients, aged 12–35 years, enrolled within the “Parma Early Psychosis” (Pr-EP) protocol. At baseline, they completed the Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Health of the Nation Outcome Scale (HoNOS) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used.Results496 FEP individuals were enrolled in this research. Across the follow-up, a 16.5% prevalence of short-term disengagement was found. Particularly robust predictors of service disengagement were poor baseline treatment non-adherence, living with parents and the presence of brief psychotic disorder or schizophreniform disorder at entry.ConclusionAbout 16% of FEP patients disengaged the Pr-EP program within the first year of treatment. A solution to reduce disengagement and/or to favor re-engagement of these subjects might be to remain on EIP program caseloads allowing the option for low-intensity support and monitoring, also via remote technology.

Effectiveness of the early intervention service for first-episode psychosis in Navarra (PEPsNa): Broadening the scope of outcome measures.

This study compares the effectiveness of a new early intervention service for firstepisode psychosis (FEP) in patients under conventional treatment. Six primary and 10 secondary outcome measures are used to better characterize the comparative effectiveness between two FEP groups. This study plans to enroll 250 patients aged 15-55 years with FEP from all inpatient and outpatient mental health services and primary health care from January 2020 until December 2022. The control group will be composed of 130 FEP patients treated in mental health centers in the 2 years prior to the start of PEPsNa (Programa de Primeros Episodios de Psicosis de Navarra). The primary outcome measures are symptomatic remission, functional recovery, personal recovery, cognitive performance, functional capacity in real-world settings, and costs. The secondary outcome measures are duration of untreated psychosis, substance abuse rate, antipsychotic monotherapy, minimal effective dose of antipsychotic drugs, therapeutic alliance, drop-out rate, number of relapses, global mortality and suicidality, resource use, and general satisfaction in the program. This study arises from the growing need to broaden the scope of outcome measures in FEP patients and to account for unmet needs of recovery for FEPs. It aims to contribute in the dissemination of the NAVIGATE model in Europe and to provide new evidence of the effectiveness of early intervention services for stakeholders of the National Health Service.

A Novel Blended Transdiagnostic Intervention (eOrygen) for Youth Psychosis and Borderline Personality Disorder: Uncontrolled Single-Group Pilot Study.

Integrating innovative digital mental health interventions within specialist services is a promising strategy to address the shortcomings of both face-to-face and web-based mental health services. However, despite young people's preferences and calls for integration of these services, current mental health services rarely offer blended models of care. This pilot study tested an integrated digital and face-to-face transdiagnostic intervention (eOrygen) as a blended model of care for youth psychosis and borderline personality disorder. The primary aim was to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of eOrygen. The secondary aim was to assess pre-post changes in key clinical and psychosocial outcomes. An exploratory aim was to explore the barriers and facilitators identified by young people and clinicians in implementing a blended model of care into practice. A total of 33 young people (aged 15-25 years) and 18 clinicians were recruited over 4 months from two youth mental health services in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: (1) the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre, an early intervention service for first-episode psychosis; and (2) the Helping Young People Early Clinic, an early intervention service for borderline personality disorder. The feasibility, acceptability, and safety of eOrygen were evaluated via an uncontrolled single-group study. Repeated measures 2-tailed t tests assessed changes in clinical and psychosocial outcomes between before and after the intervention (3 months). Eight semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with the young people, and 3 focus groups, attended by 15 (83%) of the 18 clinicians, were conducted after the intervention. eOrygen was found to be feasible, acceptable, and safe. Feasibility was established owing to a low refusal rate of 25% (15/59) and by exceeding our goal of young people recruited to the study per clinician. Acceptability was established because 93% (22/24) of the young people reported that they would recommend eOrygen to others, and safety was established because no adverse events or unlawful entries were recorded and there were no worsening of clinical and social outcome measures. Interviews with the young people identified facilitators to engagement such as peer support and personalized therapy content, as well as barriers such as low motivation, social anxiety, and privacy concerns. The clinician focus groups identified evidence-based content as an implementation facilitator, whereas a lack of familiarity with the platform was identified as a barrier owing to clinicians' competing priorities, such as concerns related to risk and handling acute presentations, as well as the challenge of being understaffed. eOrygen as a blended transdiagnostic intervention has the potential to increase therapeutic continuity, engagement, alliance, and intensity. Future research will need to establish the effectiveness of blended models of care for young people with complex mental health conditions and determine how to optimize the implementation of such models into specialized services.

Experiences of a Digital Mental Health Intervention from the Perspectives of Young People Recovering from First-Episode Psychosis: A Focus Group Study.

To understand the experiences of young adults with FEP who participated in the pilot study based on focus group data. Among the twenty individuals that accessed the intervention, nine participated across four focus groups. Three team members were involved in data management and analysis, informed by a thematic analysis approach. A coding framework was created by adapting the Phase 1 framework to current study objectives, then revised iteratively by applying it to the current data. Once the coding framework was finalized, it was systematically applied to the entire dataset. Four themes were identified: (1) Perceiving Horyzons-Canada as helpful for recovery; (2) Appreciating core intervention components (i.e., peer networking; therapeutic content; moderation) and ease of use; (3) Being unaware of its features; and (4) Expressing concerns, suggestions, and future directions. Horyzons-Canada was well received, with participants wanting it to grow in scale, accessibility, and functionality.

Outcomes During and After Early Intervention Services for First-Episode Psychosis: Results Over 5 Years From the RAISE-ETP Site-Randomized Trial.

To examine long-term effects of early intervention services (EIS) for first-episode psychosis, we compared Heinrichs-Carpenter Quality of Life (QLS) and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) scores and inpatient hospitalization days over 5 years with data from the site-randomized RAISE-ETP trial that compared the EIS NAVIGATE (17 sites; 223 participants) and community care (CC) (17 sites; 181 participants). Inclusion criteria were: age 15-40 years; DSM-IV diagnoses of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, brief psychotic disorder, or psychotic disorder not otherwise specified; first psychotic episode; antipsychotic medication taken for ≤6 months. NAVIGATE-randomized participants could receive NAVIGATE from their study entry date until NAVIGATE ended when the last-enrolled NAVIGATE participant completed 2 years of treatment. Assessments occurred every 6 months. 61% of participants had assessments conducted ≥2 years; 31% at 5 years. Median follow-up length was CC 30 months and NAVIGATE 38 months. Primary analyses assumed data were not-missing-at-random (NMAR); sensitivity analyses assumed data were missing-at-random (MAR). MAR analyses found no significant treatment-by-time interactions for QLS or PANSS. NMAR analyses revealed that NAVIGATE was associated with a 13.14 (95%CI:6.92,19.37) unit QLS and 7.73 (95%CI:2.98,12.47) unit PANSS better improvement and 2.53 (95%CI:0.59,4.47) fewer inpatient days than CC (all comparisons significant). QLS and PANSS effect sizes were 0.856 and 0.70. NAVIGATE opportunity length (mean 33.8 (SD = 5.1) months) was not associated (P = .72) with QLS outcome; duration of untreated psychosis did not moderate (P = .32) differential QLS outcome. While conclusions are limited by the low rate of five-year follow-up, the data support long-term benefit of NAVIGATE compared to community care.

The Danish OPUS Early Intervention Services for First-Episode Psychosis: A Phase 4 Prospective Cohort Study With Comparison of Randomized Trial and Real-World Data.

The Danish OPUS trial showed significant efficacy of early intervention services for first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders compared with standard treatment, leading to implementation of the OPUS intervention in clinical practice. The authors sought to determine whether the effectiveness of OPUS treatment in real-world clinical practice is comparable to the efficacy seen in the trial. The study compared patients who received OPUS treatment as part of the original randomized trial to those who received standard treatment in the trial (the control group) and those who received OPUS treatment after it was implemented in Denmark. The authors investigated whether the three groups differed on register-based outcomes, such as use of secondary health care, functional outcomes, and death. Analyses were adjusted for relevant confounders. Compared with trial study participants, patients who received OPUS treatment after implementation (N=3,328) had a tendency toward lower mortality (hazard ratio=0.60, 95% CI=0.33, 1.09), fewer and shorter psychiatric admissions, and possibly fewer filled prescriptions of antipsychotics and other psycholeptics after 4 or 5 years. While at first less likely to be working or studying, patients who received postimplementation OPUS treatment eventually had higher odds of working than did those in the OPUS trial (after 5 years, odds ratio=1.49, 95% CI=1.07, 2.09). The odds of being in a couple relationship were also higher among patients in the postimplementation group than those in the trial. Other outcomes showed less clear associations with treatment group. Generally, the control group in the trial fared worse than both of the OPUS treatment groups. Not only did OPUS treatment maintain its efficacy after it was implemented as a standard treatment, it paralleled or surpassed many of the effects observed when the OPUS intervention was delivered in a randomized trial. The study results provide further evidence in support of implementation and funding of early intervention services worldwide.

Loneliness in early psychosis: a qualitative study exploring the views of mental health practitioners in early intervention services

BackgroundLoneliness is an important public health problem with established adverse effects on physical and mental health. Although people with psychosis often experience high levels of loneliness, relatively little is known about the relationship between loneliness and early psychosis. Potential interventions to address loneliness might be easier to implement early in the illness when social networks and social skills may be more intact than at a later stage. We investigated the views of mental health practitioners about the context and causes of loneliness in people with early psychosis, and about potential interventions.MethodsSemi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with mental health practitioners (n = 20). Participants were purposively recruited from four early intervention services for first-episode psychosis in the UK. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was conducted.ResultsParticipants believed that the majority of service users with early psychosis experience feelings of loneliness. They often saw socially isolated and disconnected clients and believed them to be lonely, but rarely discussed loneliness explicitly in clinical interactions. A combination of symptoms, stigma and negative sense of self were believed to underpin loneliness. Participants could not identify any specific current interventions delivered by their services for tackling loneliness, but thought some routinely provided interventions, including social groups and psychological treatments, could be helpful. They favoured making a wider range of loneliness interventions available and believed that community agencies beyond mental health services should be involved to make these effective and feasible to deliver. They suggested social participation interventions without an explicit mental health focus as potentially promising and valued a co-produced approach to intervention development.ConclusionsThis study suggests that loneliness is not routinely discussed in early intervention services, and a targeted strategy for tackling it is lacking. Co-produced, individualised community approaches, and interventions that target symptoms, stigma and negative self-schemas might be beneficial in alleviating loneliness for people with early psychosis. Empirical research is needed to develop and test such interventions.

Mental Health Services Research Targeting the Clinical High-Risk State for Psychosis: Lessons, Future Directions and Integration with Patient Perspectives.

We summarize the history of the clinical high-risk stage of psychosis (CHR), current research on this stage and recent critiques of the field, and evaluate current CHR guidelines and frameworks. Following its identification and characterization, CHR services have successfully been developed in North America, Europe, Australia and elsewhere. As reflected in guidelines, these services and their orientation largely emerged as an outgrowth of the framework pioneered by early intervention services for first-episode psychosis. We critically discuss what is known so far about the subjective experience of the CHR syndrome, the meaning of this "unofficial" diagnosis as well as what is known and unknown about the service-related needs. While a range of outstanding questions remain in the field, there is a particular need for patient-oriented work and to investigate the service-related needs of young people at CHR.

Disengagement Processes Within an Early Intervention Service for First-Episode Psychosis: A Longitudinal, Qualitative, Multi-Perspective Study.

BackgroundSpecialized early intervention services for first-episode psychosis have been well established in many countries to meet the unique needs of this group. However, with high drop-out rates, these services would benefit from understanding the factors that influence a person's decision to engage with, or disengage from, them. No research has explored the experiences of engagement and disengagement over time, from the perspectives of the person who experienced a first-episode psychosis, their caregiver, and their clinician. This information is crucial to help services better respond to the needs of the people using them. The aim of this study was to understand what causes and maintains periods of disengagement from early intervention services for first-episode psychosis over time.MethodsUsing a longitudinal, qualitative approach, young people, their caregivers, and their clinicians were followed through their first year with an early intervention service for first-episode psychosis in Melbourne, Australia. Qualitative interviews were completed between 3–9 weeks, 4–7 months, and 11–15 months after entry to the service (or at discharge if earlier). Trajectory analysis was used to understand the data.ResultsQualitative interviews were conducted with 24 participants (55 interviews). Young people were aged 15–24 years, came from a variety of cultural backgrounds and had various psychotic diagnoses. Three major processes were identified that, over time, led to periods of service disengagement: a mismatch between service model and individual presentation (service mismatch), a lack of shared purpose (aimless engagement), and responses to individual circumstances (reactive disengagement).ConclusionTriangulating experiences of engagement across young people, caregivers, and clinicians allows for a comprehensive understanding of what precipitates service disengagement. This study demonstrates how early intervention services for first-episode psychosis are meeting the needs of young people and caregivers, and what areas warrant improvement. The needs of service users and patterns of disengagement vary. In turn, services must be flexible and responsive to individual circumstances. The results of this study recommend that local and international policies move away from diagnostically driven models of care, to better provide an inclusive treatment service for people with transdiagnostic mental health presentations.

From Knowledge Transfer to Action: An Example of a Community of Practice for First-Episode Psychosis in Lyon, France.

Despite the proven effectiveness of early intervention services for first-episode psychosis (FEP), these services are poorly implemented in France. This column describes the establishment in 2018 of a community of practice dedicated to the implementation of early intervention services for FEP at the Vinatier Hospital in Lyon, France, in 2019. To evaluate the implementation process, the authors analyzed materials produced during the process of conceiving and developing the community of practice, reviewed participant observation notes, and examined responses to a satisfaction survey completed by community of practice members. Creation of the community of practice network has led to substantial changes in care pathways for FEP patients in Greater Lyon.

M196. CLINICAL CORRELATES OF SUBJECTIVE QUALITY OF LIFE IN ADULT PATIENTS WITH EARLY PSYCHOSIS IN HONG KONG

BackgroundSubjective quality of life (SQoL) is an important outcome domain in patients with early psychosis. In an attempt to better understand and maximize SQoL of early psychosis patients, an increasing number of research has been conducted to investigate factors associated with SQoL. Nonetheless, most previous studies focused on younger patients with early psychosis. In this study, the correlates of SQoL in adult patients who had completed 3-year specialized early intervention service for first-episode psychosis (FEP) in Hong Kong were investigated.MethodsIn total, one hundred and one Chinese patients aged 26–55 years who completed 3-year specialized early intervention service for psychosis in Hong Kong were recruited. Assessments on illness onset (DUP), clinical (PANSS, BNSS, SUMD), intrinsic motivation (by items in Quality of Life Scale, QLS), functional (SOFAS), antipsychotic-induced parkinsonism features (Simpson-Angus Scale, SAS) were conducted. SQoL was evaluated by Chinese version SF-12 which consist of physical and mental components for analysis.ResultsCorrelation analyses showed that SF12 physical health score was correlated with PANSS depression component (p<0.001), QLS intrinsic motivation score (p=0.001) and SAS score (p<0.05) while SF12 mental health score was correlated with PANSS depression score (p<0.001), QLS intrinsic motivation score (p<0.05) and SAS score (p<0.05). Multiple linear regression analyses further revealed that lower PANSS depression score (p<0.001) and higher intrinsic motivation (measured by QLS, p<0.05) were independently associated with better physical SQoL, while lower PANSS depression score (p<0.001) and lower SAS side-effect score (p<0.05) were independently related to better mental SQoL.DiscussionOur results are consistent with the literature which indicates that SQoL is significantly related to depressive symptoms. In addition, patients with higher intrinsic motivation and less antipsychotic-induced extrapyramidal side-effect have better SQoL. Further analysis on the longitudinal data will clarify variables predictive of SQoL at follow-up.

The missing voice of engagement: an exploratory study from the perspectives of case-managers at an early intervention service for first-episode psychosis

BackgroundA key component of case-management in early intervention services for first-episode psychosis is engaging a person with the service and building a relationship from which therapy and treatment can be facilitated. The aim of this study was to understand how case-managers at an early intervention service experience the process of engagement and working with varying levels of attendance and participation.MethodsQualitative interviews were conducted with the case-managers of nine young people treated at an early intervention service for first-episode psychosis within 6 months of treatment entry. Interviews discussed the process of working with the young person and factors that influenced service engagement. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis.ResultsCase-managers described a range of influences on engagement which were grouped under the themes: young person and caregiver influences on engagement, case-manager influences on engagement, and influences of the early intervention service system on engagement. The experience of engagement was described as relational, however it occurred in the context of broader influences, some of which were unable to be changed or challenged by the case-manager (e.g., resource allocation, models of treatment, young person demographics).ConclusionThis study illustrates the challenges that case-managers face when working with young people with first-episode psychosis, and the direct influence this has on engagement with treatment. Understanding these challenges and addressing them in policy and service design may lead to improvements in young peoples’ recovery from first-episode psychosis and increase case-manager job satisfaction.

Understanding Pathways to Care of Individuals Entering a Specialized Early Intervention Service for First-Episode Psychosis.

This study aimed to understand the pathways to care from the onset of a first episode of psychosis to entry into a specialized early intervention service (EIS) for individuals with nonaffective psychosis. A sample of 20 individuals who participated in an EIS and ten of their family members were enrolled. Semistructured qualitative interviews were used to characterize participants' lives during the onset of psychosis and explore their help-seeking events from the onset of psychosis to entry into the EIS. Data were analyzed by using grounded theory and a case study methodology. The median duration between the onset of psychosis and EIS entry was 4.5 months. A grounded model emerged from the analysis that captured how help-seeking decisions were influenced by the misattribution of symptoms, stigma, and self-reliance. These factors created a cloud of uncertainty in which individuals experiencing early psychosis and their family members struggled to make sense of what was happening, how and when to seek help, and what to expect from treatment. Contacts with the health care system were critical junctures in the pathway to care that could reduce or increase uncertainty and expedite or delay EIS entry. Findings indicate that efforts to expedite EIS entry should focus on reducing the uncertainty that affected individuals and their family members face when seeking care by improving their experiences with mental health services.

Comparing three-year extension of early intervention service to regular care following two years of early intervention service in first-episode psychosis: a randomized single blind clinical trial.

This study aimed to determine if, following two years of early intervention service for first-episode psychosis, three-year extension of that service was superior to three years of regular care. We conducted a randomized single blind clinical trial using an urn randomization balanced for gender and substance abuse. Participants were recruited from early intervention service clinics in Montreal. Patients (N=220), 18-35 years old, were randomized to an extension of early intervention service (EEIS; N=110) or to regular care (N=110). EEIS included case management, family intervention, cognitive behaviour therapy and crisis intervention, while regular care involved transfer to primary (community health and social services and family physicians) or secondary care (psychiatric outpatient clinics). Cumulative length of positive and negative symptom remission was the primary outcome measure. EEIS patients had a significantly longer mean length of remission of positive symptoms (92.5 vs. 63.6 weeks, t=4.47, p<0.001), negative symptoms (73.4 vs. 59.6 weeks, t=2.84, p=0.005) and both positive and negative symptoms (66.5 vs. 56.7 weeks, t=2.25, p=0.03) compared to regular care patients. EEIS patients stayed in treatment longer than regular care patients (mean 131.7 vs. 105.3 weeks, t=3.98, p<0.001 through contact with physicians; 134.8 ± 37.7 vs. 89.8 ± 55.2, t=6.45, p<0.0001 through contact with other health care providers) and received more units of treatment (mean 74.9 vs. 39.9, t=4.21, p<0.001 from physicians, and 57.3 vs. 28.2, t=4.08, p<0.001 from other health care professionals). Length of treatment had an independent effect on the length of remission of positive symptoms (t=2.62, p=0.009), while number of units of treatment by any health care provider had an effect on length of remission of negative symptoms (t=-2.70, p=0.008) as well as total symptoms (t=-2.40, p=0.02). Post-hoc analysis showed that patients randomized to primary care, based on their better clinical profile at randomization, maintained their better outcome, especially as to remission of negative symptoms, at the end of the study. These data suggest that extending early intervention service for three additional years has a positive impact on length of remission of positive and negative symptoms compared to regular care. This may have policy implications for extending early intervention services beyond the current two years.

Challenges in and recommendations for working with international students with first-episode psychosis: a descriptive case series

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a series of cases of international students being treated in a specialized early intervention service for first-episode psychosis (FEP), describing the particular challenges that arise in this process, and to provide recommendations addressing these challenges.Design/methodology/approachTwo researchers independently reviewed the charts of seven international students and discussed them with their treating clinicians. Recurring themes were identified through an iterative process of discussion and consensus.FindingsFour themes were identified which demonstrated specific challenges faced by international students being treated for FEP: difficulty maintaining student visa status, limited social and family support, financial and health insurance issues, and service disengagement.Originality/valueThe study suggests that international students with FEP may present with numerous and unique challenges, thereby requiring special attention in their treatment. Although these are preliminary findings based on a small case series, the findings can inform recommendations for mental health services in cities with a sizeable international student population and guide future research on this topic.

Layers of listening: qualitative analysis of the impact of early intervention services for first-episode psychosis on carers' experiences.

Early intervention services (EIS) comprise low-stigma, youth-friendly mental health teams for young people undergoing first-episode psychosis (FEP). Engaging with the family of the young person is central to EIS policy and practice.AimsBy analysing carers' accounts of their daily lives and affective challenges during a relative's FEP against the background of wider research into EIS, this paper explores relationships between carers' experiences and EIS. Semi-structured longitudinal interviews with 80 carers of young people with FEP treated through English EIS. Our data suggest that EIS successfully aid carers to support their relatives, particularly through the provision of knowledge about psychosis and medications. However, paradoxical ramifications of these user-focused engagements also emerge; they risk leaving carers' emotions unacknowledged and compounding an existing lack of help-seeking. By focusing on EIS's engagements with carers, this paper draws attention to an urgent broader question: as a continuing emphasis on care outside the clinic space places family members at the heart of the care of those with severe mental illness, we ask: who can, and should, support carers, and in what ways?

Mode of Entry to an Early Intervention Service for Psychotic Disorders: Determinants and Impact on Outcome

Specialized early intervention services for first-episode psychosis should treat a proportion of patients without using inpatient beds. This study compared such service users by their initial mode of treatment before entry-inpatient (N=157) or outpatient (N=102). On entry to a Montreal early intervention service, the groups were compared on baseline clinical and functional variables and on hospitalizations during two years of treatment. Initial presentation at an emergency service, shorter duration of untreated psychosis, lower functioning level, and aggressive and bizarre behavior were associated with the inpatient entry mode to early intervention services. During follow-up, individuals entering as inpatients spent more days hospitalized than those entering as outpatients, and their time to rehospitalization was shorter. Results suggest that entry into early intervention services via the hospital emergency department and presentation with behavioral and functional disturbances were more predictive than core psychotic symptoms of hospital inpatient status on referral to an early intervention service.

Views of Young People in Early Intervention Services for First-Episode Psychosis in England

Views of Young People in Early Intervention Services for First-Episode Psychosis in England

Views of Young People in Early Intervention Services for First-Episode Psychosis in England

This study described the views over time of young people referred to early intervention services (EIS), particularly as they relate to the importance of relationships. A cohort of people aged 14 to 35 enrolled in a large multisite study of EIS for psychosis in the United Kingdom were recruited for a qualitative, longitudinal study in which they were interviewed within six months of admission to EIS and 12 months later. Transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using Charmaz's constructivist grounded-theory methodology. A total of 63 individuals were interviewed during the six months after their first service contact, and 36 (57%) were interviewed 12 months later. Service users generally viewed IES key workers as supportive and youth sensitive, but up to one-third felt that the three years of sustained engagement expected was too intensive. Family support was highly valued by service users, and key workers and families worked well together to support the young people as they recovered. A significant minority of service users, however, reported feeling the emergence of a new self-identity, often associated with a sense of loss of the person they had felt themselves to be before becoming ill. EIS for young people should provide not only the right type of engagement but also the right amount, recognize the very important role of families in giving both practical and emotional support and in liaising with key workers, and take into account the relatively rapid change in perceptions of personal identity that accompany illness.

Views of Young People in Early Intervention Services for First-Episode Psychosis in England

Objective: This study described the views over time of young people referred to early intervention services (EIS), particularly as they relate to the importance of relationships. Methods: A cohort of people aged 14 to 35 enrolled in a large multisite study of EIS for psychosis in the United Kingdom were recruited for a qualitative, longitudinal study in which they were interviewed within six months of admission to EIS and 12 months later. Transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using Charmaz's constructivist grounded-theory methodology. Results: A total of 63 individuals were interviewed during the six months after their first service contact, and 36 (57%) were interviewed 12 months later. Service users generally viewed IES key workers as supportive and youth sensitive, but up to one-third felt that the three years of sustained engagement expected was too intensive. Family support was highly valued by service users, and key workers and families worked well together to support the young people as they recovered. A significant minority of service users, however, reported feeling the emergence of a new self-identity, often associated with a sense of loss of the person they had felt themselves to be before becoming ill. Conclusions: EIS for young people should provide not only the right type of engagement but also the right amount, recognize the very important role of families in giving both practical and emotional support and in liaising with key workers, and take into account the relatively rapid change in perceptions of personal identity that accompany illness. (Psychiatric Services 62:882–887, 2011)