Psychotic disorders are a group of severe mental disorders which affects 2-3% of the population and constitutes one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Early intervention (EI) represents a major paradigm shift in psychiatric service and has been demonstrated to be effective in outcome improvement for first-episode psychosis (FEP) and at-risk mental state (ARMS). However, despite the promising findings, evidence has shown that a significant proportion of early psychosis patients still experience suboptimal clinical outcomes (such as high relapse risk, partial remission, early-onset treatment resistance, persistent negative symptoms, etc.), functional impairment and cognitive dysfunction. Further research clarifying the complex inter-relationships among symptomatology, psychosocial functioning, and cognitive deficits in the early illness course as well as evaluating effects of EI on further improvement on clinical, functional, and cognitive outcomes in patients with early psychosis would therefore facilitate development of next-generation EI service to enhance short-term treatment outcomes and long-term prognosis. This Research Topic aims to further our understanding of the complex relationships between symptomatology, psychosocial functioning and cognitive impairment in the early course of psychotic disorders, including first-episode psychosis (FEP) and at-risk mental state and to evaluate the effects of early intervention, either in terms of specific treatment modalities or in the comprehensive service framework, on further improvement in clinical, functional, and cognitive outcomes in patients with early psychosis.

The new edition of this popular handbook has been thoroughly updated to include the latest data concerning treatment of first-episode patients. Drawing from their experience, the authors discuss the presentation and assessment of the first psychotic episode and review the appropriate use of antipsychotic agents and psychosocial approaches in effective management.

Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Early Intervention in Psychiatric Disorders, Prague, Czech Republic, October 22-27, 1998

With expert guidance on developing specialty care service models for young people experiencing first-episode psychosis, the book offers a multimodal approach that aims for recovery and remission.

Psychological Interventions in Early Psychosis provides a comprehensive overview of the emerging research and clinical evidence base for psychological treatments across the phases of early psychosis. Beginning with identified at-risk young people, the text continues through to those in acute and recovery phases, to the needs of patients with persistent symptoms. This practical treatment handbook: draws upon the expertise of several internationally recognised clinical and research programs integrates reviews of the relevant research literature with illustrative case examples covers critical issues for the clinician in focal chapters on suicide prevention, comorbid cannabis abuse, and family work describes several modalities of treatment, such as multi-family psychoeducation, group work, psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural approaches. Specialist early psychosis services are developing rapidly worldwide. Psychological Interventions in Early Psychosis will be an essential resource for clinicians and service leaders alike.

In this volume the contributors examine the relationship between quality of life and disabilities with psychosocial concepts like well-being, life satisfaction, difficulties and events and social adjustments in patients with mental disorders.

These guidelines from NICE set out clear recommendations, based on the best available evidence, for health care professionals on how to work with and implement physical, psychological and service-level interventions for people with various mental health conditions.The book contains the full guidelines that cannot be obtained in print anywhere else. It brings together all of the evidence that led to the recommendations made, detailed explanations of the methodology behind their preparation, plus an overview of the condition covering detection, diagnosis and assessment, and the full range of treatment and care approaches. There is a worse prognosis for psychosis and schizophrenia when onset is in childhood or adolescence, and this new NICE guideline puts much-needed emphasis on early recognition and assessment of possible psychotic symptoms. For the one-third of children and young people who go on to experience severe impairment as a result of psychosis or schizophrenia the guideline also offers comprehensive advice from assessment and treatment of the first episode through to promoting recovery.This guideline reviews the evidence for recognition and management of psychosis and schizophrenia in children and young people across the care pathway, encompassing access to and delivery of services, experience of care, recognition and management of at-risk mental states, psychological and pharmacological interventions, and improving cognition and enhancing engagement with education and employment.