Project Description

Psychosis: EIE investigated the conceptualisation and enactment of ‘good practice’ in early intervention in psychosis services, from the perspectives of service users and clinicians. A primary aim of the study is to contribute young people’s voices to the examination of sensitive ethical issues in the implementation of early intervention services for psychosis.

Given the lack of empirical ethics investigation with young people involved in early intervention for psychosis, the initial study used a grounded theory approach. We recruited three different samples drawn from the population of EIP service: service users aged 14-24 in the prodromal phase of psychosis, service users aged 14-24 who have experienced a first episode of psychosis, and mental health professionals. In doing so, the study articulated guidance to improve EIP practice by enabling a better understanding of the moral and ethical dimensions of EIP from the point of view of young service users; and more transparent alignment of patient and clinician values, expectations, and goals. An overview of our analysis of clinical guidelines, and a summary of our recommendations for evaluating good practice in EIP services, was published in ‘Child and Adolescent Mental Health,’ with our responses to scholarly critique of findings here.