Rates, determinants and outcomes associated with the use of community treatment orders in young people experiencing first episode psychosis

Background: Young people with early psychosis are at particularly high risk of suicide. However, there is evidence that early intervention can reduce this risk. Despite these advances, first episode psychosis patients attending these new services still remain at risk. To address this concern, a program called LifeSPAN was established within the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre (EPPIC). The program developed and evaluated a number of suicide prevention strategies within EPPIC and included a cognitively oriented therapy (LifeSPAN therapy) for acutely suicidal patients with psychosis. We describe the development of these interventions in this paper. Method: Clinical audit and surveys provided an indication of the prevalence of suicidality among first episode psychosis patients attending EPPIC. Second, staff focus groups and surveys identified gaps in service provision for suicidal young people attending the service. Third, a suicide risk monitoring system was introduced to identify those at highest risk. Finally, patients so identified were referred to and offered LifeSPAN therapy whose effectiveness was evaluated in a randomised controlled trial. Results: Fifty-six suicidal patients with first episode psychosis were randomly assigned to standard clinical care or standard care plus LifeSPAN therapy. Forty-two patients completed the intervention. Clinical ratings and measures of suicidality and risk were assessed before, immediately after the intervention, and 6 months later. Benefits were noted in the treatment group on indirect measures of suicidality, e.g., hopelessness. The treatment group showed a greater average improvement (though not significant) on a measure of suicide ideation. Conclusions: Early intervention in psychosis for young people reduces the risk of suicide. Augmenting early intervention with a suicide preventative therapy may further reduce this risk.

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Characterising Usage of a Multicomponent Digital Intervention to Predict Treatment Outcomes in First-Episode Psychosis: A Cluster Analysis (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.29211 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Shaunagh O'Sullivan ◽

Lianne Schmaal ◽

Simon D'Alfonso ◽

Yara J Toenders ◽

Lee Valentine ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

Treatment Outcomes ◽

Social Functioning ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

User Profile ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

First Episode ◽

User Profiles ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

Social Components

BACKGROUND Multicomponent digital interventions offer the potential for tailored and flexible interventions that aim to address high attrition rates and increase engagement, an area of concern in digital mental health. However, increased flexibility in usage makes it difficult to determine which components lead to improved treatment outcomes. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to identify user profiles on Horyzons, an 18-month digital relapse prevention intervention that incorporates therapeutic content and social networking, along with clinical, vocational and peer support, and to examine the predictive value of these user profiles for treatment outcomes. A secondary objective was to compare each user profile with young people receiving treatment as usual (TAU). METHODS Participants comprised 82 young people (16-27 years of age) with access to Horyzons and 84 receiving TAU, recovering from first-episode psychosis. Six-month usage data from the therapy and social networking components of Horyzons were used as features for K-means clustering for joint trajectories to identify user profiles. Social functioning, psychotic symptoms, depression and anxiety were assessed at baseline and six-month follow-up. General linear mixed models were used to examine the predictive value of user profiles for treatment outcomes, and between each user profile with TAU. RESULTS Three user profiles were identified based on system usage metrics including: (a) low usage; (b) maintained usage of social components; and (c) maintained usage of both therapy and social components. The maintained therapy and social group showed improvements in social functioning (F (2, 51) = 3.58; P = .04), negative symptoms (F (2, 51) = 4.45; P = .02) and overall psychiatric symptom severity (F (2, 50) = 3.23; P = .048) compared to the other user profiles. This group also showed improvements in social functioning (F (1, 62) = 4.68; P = .03), negative symptoms (F (1, 62) = 14.61; P = <.001) and overall psychiatric symptom severity (F (1, 63) = 5.66; P = .02) compared to TAU. Conversely, the maintained social group showed increases in anxiety compared to TAU (F (1, 57) = 7.65; P = .01). No differences were found between the low usage group and TAU on treatment outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Continued engagement with both therapy and social components might be key in achieving long-term recovery. Maintained social usage and low usage outcomes were broadly comparable to TAU, emphasizing the importance of maintaining engagement for improved treatment outcomes. Although the social network may be a key ingredient to increase sustained engagement, as users engaged with this more consistently, it should be leveraged as a tool to engage young people with therapeutic content to bring about social and clinical benefits.

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What Is Psychosis?

The First Episode of Psychosis ◽

10.1093/med-psych/9780190920685.003.0001 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 3-16

Author(s):

Beth Broussard ◽

Michael T. Compton

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Young People ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

Initial Evaluation ◽

Treatment Programs ◽

First Episode ◽

Her Family ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

The Individual ◽

Work Goals

This first chapter explains what psychosis is. Psychosis is a treatable mental illness. For many people with first-episode psychosis, symptoms begin to clear up partially or completely within weeks of starting treatment. Although the symptoms of psychosis may be frightening to the individual and his or her family, there are treatments for these symptoms. First-episode psychosis is the period of time when a person first begins to experience psychosis. It is during this time that young people and their families need detailed information about the initial evaluation and treatment. People who get into treatment earlier often do better. In many places, specialty treatment programs now exist that specifically focus on first-episode psychosis. Those programs often provide treatments designed to help young people get back on track in terms of school and work goals.

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