Is personal recovery a transdiagnostic concept? Testing the fit of the CHIME framework using narrative experiences.

BACKGROUND: Personal recovery is operationalized in the CHIME framework (connectedness, hope, identity, meaning in life, and empowerment) of recovery processes. CHIME was initially developed through analysis of experiences of people mainly with psychosis, but it might also be valid for investigating recovery in mood-related, autism and other diagnoses. AIMS: To examine whether personal recovery is transdiagnostic by studying narrative experiences in several diagnostic groups. METHODS: Thirty recovery narratives, retrieved from "Psychiatry Story Bank" (PSB) in the Netherlands, were analyzed by three coders using CHIME as a deductive framework. New codes were assigned using an inductive approach and member checks were performed after consensus was reached. RESULTS: All five CHIME dimensions were richly reported in the narratives, independent of diagnosis. Seven new domains were identified, such as "acknowledgement by diagnosis" and "gaining self-insight". These new domains were evaluated to fit well as subdomains within the original CHIME framework. On average, 54.2% of all narrative content was classified as experienced difficulties. CONCLUSIONS: Recovery stories from different diagnostic perspectives fit well into the CHIME framework, implying that personal recovery is a transdiagnostic concept. Difficulties should not be ignored in the context of personal recovery based on its substantial presence in the recovery narratives.

How to quit cannabis when you have a mental illness: study from the perspective of patients who have successfully quit.

AIMS AND METHOD: Research regarding quitting cannabis use often excludes patients with severe mental illness (SMI). We investigated facilitating and impeding factors in SMI patients and their advice to others, using semi-structured interviews with 12 SMI-patients, who were daily cannabis users for ≥12 months and had fully stopped using for ≥6 months. RESULTS: Seeking distraction, social contacts in personal environment, avoiding temptation and support from professionals were facilitating factors in stopping. Impeding factors were withdrawal symptoms, user environment, experiencing stress and user's routine. Advice to other patients included to just do it, seek support from others, quit 'cold turkey' and acknowledge that cannabis use is a problem. Advice to mental health professionals is to discuss cannabis use from the start of treatment. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: It is important to inform patients that cannabis use has negative consequences and limits the effects of treatment. Do not judge cannabis use or force the patient to stop.

Effects of an eating club for people with a psychotic disorder on personal recovery: Results of a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Many people with a psychotic disorder are coping with severe psychosocial limitations related to their illness. The current randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigates the effects of an eating club intervention (HospitalitY (HY)) aimed to improve personal and societal recovery. METHODS: In 15 biweekly sessions participants received individual home-based skill training and guided peer support sessions in groups of three participants from a trained nurse. A multi-center RCT was conducted (intended sample size: n = 84; n = 7 per block) in patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum receiving community treatment. HospitalitY was compared to a Waiting List Control (WLC) condition at three time points (baseline, end-of-treatment (8 months) and follow-up (12 months)) using personal recovery as primary outcome and loneliness, social support, self-stigma, self-esteem, social skills, (social) functioning, independency competence, and psychopathology as secondary outcomes. Outcomes were evaluated with a mixed modeling statistical procedure. RESULTS: The HY-intervention had no significant effects on personal recovery or secondary outcomes. More attendance was associated with higher scores on social functioning. LIMITATIONS: With N = 43 participants included, power was insufficient. Seven HY-groups were started, from which three discontinued before the sixth meeting, one HY group stopped due the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a promising pilot study on feasibility, the current RCT did not show any effects of the HY intervention. A mixed qualitative-quantitative research methods might be more appropriate for researching the HospitalitY-intervention to investigate what social and cognitive processes are at play in this peer guided social intervention.

The effects of a computerized clinical decision aid on clinical decision-making in psychosis care.

OBJECTIVE: Clinicians in mental healthcare have few objective tools to identify and analyze their patient's care needs. Clinical decision aids are tools that support this process. This study examines whether 1) clinicians working with a clinical decision aid (TREAT) discuss more of their patient's care needs compared to usual treatment, and 2) agree on more evidence-based treatment decisions. METHODS: Clinicians participated in consultations (n = 166) with patients diagnosed with psychotic disorders from four Dutch mental healthcare institutions (research registration number 201700763). Primary outcomes were measured with the modified Clinical Decision-making in Routine Care questionnaire and combined with psychiatric, physical and social wellbeing related care needs. A multilevel analysis compared discussed care needs and evidence-based treatment decisions between treatment as usual (TAU) before, TAU after and the TREAT condition. RESULTS: First, a significant increase in discussed care needs for TREAT compared to both TAU conditions (ß = 20.2, SE = 5.2, p = 0.00 and ß = 15.8, SE = 5.4, p = 0.01) was found. Next, a significant increase in evidence-based treatments decisions for care needs was observed for TREAT compared to both TAU conditions (ß = 16.7, SE = 4.8, p = 0.00 and ß = 16.0, SE = 5.1, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: TREAT improved the discussion about physical health issues and social wellbeing related topics. It also increased evidence-based treatment decisions for care needs which are sometimes overlooked and difficult to treat. Our findings suggest that TREAT makes sense of routine outcome monitoring data and improves guideline-informed care.

One-Month versus Three-Month Formulation of Paliperidone Palmitate Treatment in Psychotic Disorders: Patients', Relatives', and Mental Health Professionals' Perspectives.

Purpose: Paliperidone palmitate is the only available long acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic with a monthly and three-monthly formulation. LAIs may help battle non-adherence. Studies about the experiences of switching from the monthly (PP1M) to the three-monthly formulation (PP3M) of paliperidone are scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the perspectives of patients, relatives, and mental health professionals on PP3M compared with PP1M. Material and Methods: This was a multicenter, retrospective, non-interventional one-time questionnaire survey among patients with psychotic disorders who switched from PP1M to PP3M (n = 38), their relatives (n = 13) and mental health professionals (n = 38). General satisfaction and (un)desired effects were measured using the Medication Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) and the Subjects' Reaction to Antipsychotics (SRA), respectively. Additional questionnaires assessed socio-demographic variables, preference, effectiveness, side-effects, and confidence in PP3M compared to PP1M. Results: Mean number of received PP3M injections was 4.2 (SD 2.5). The three study groups reported a high level of confidence in PP3M. High general satisfaction rates about PP3M among patients (69%) and mental health professionals (95%) were reported. The majority of patients, relatives, and mental health professionals reported similar or in some cases even greater effectiveness and similar or in some cases even less side-effects of PP3M compared to PP1M. Sixty-seven percent of the relatives reported less concerns about non-adherence after switching to PP3M. Conclusion: Most patients, relatives, and mental health professionals prefer PP3M over PP1M. The positive attitudes of all parties may facilitate the more frequent use of PP3M and potentially the clinical outcomes.

Satisfaction with social connectedness as a predictor for positive and negative symptoms of psychosis: A PHAMOUS study.

PURPOSE: This study examines satisfaction with social connectedness (SSC) as predictor of positive and negative symptoms in people with a psychotic disorder. METHODS: Data from the Pharmacotherapy Monitoring and Outcome Survey (PHAMOUS) was used from patients assessed between 2014 and 2019, diagnosed with a psychotic disorder (N = 2109). Items about social connectedness of the Manchester short assessment of Quality of Life (ManSA) were used to measure SSC. Linear mixed models were used to estimate the association of SSC with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) after one and two years against α = 0.01. Analyses were adjusted for symptoms, time since onset, gender and age. Additionally, fluctuation of positive and negative symptom scores over time was estimated. RESULTS: The mean duration of illness of the sample was 18.8 years (SD 10.7) with >65% showing only small variation in positive and negative symptoms over a two to five-year time period. After adjustment for covariates, SSC showed to be negatively associated with positive symptoms after one year (ß = -0.47, p < 0.001, 95% CI = -0.70, -025) and two years (ß = -0.59, p < 0.001, 95% CI = -0.88, -0.30), and for negative symptoms after one year (ß = -0.52, p < 0.001, 95% CI = -0.77, -0.27). The prediction of negative symptoms was not significant at two years. CONCLUSION: This research indicates that interventions on SSC might positively impact mental health for people with psychosis. SSC is a small and robust predictor of future levels of positive symptoms. Negative symptoms could be predicted by SSC at one year.

Qualitative analysis of clinicians' perspectives on the use of a computerized decision aid in the treatment of psychotic disorders.

BACKGROUND: Clinical decision aids are used in various medical fields to support patients and clinicians when making healthcare decisions. Few attempts have been made to implement such tools in psychiatry. We developed Treatment E-Assist (TREAT); a routine outcome monitoring based computerized clinical decision aid, which generates personalized treatment recommendations in the care of people with psychotic disorders. The aim of this study is to investigate how TREAT is used and evaluated by clinicians and how this tool can be improved. METHODS: Clinicians working with TREAT during a clinical trial were asked to participate in semi-structured interviews. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) was used as a sensitizing theory to structure a part of the interview questions. The transcripts were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis to uncover the main themes. RESULTS: Thirteen clinicians (mean age: 49) of which eight psychiatrists and five nurse practitioners, participated in this study. Eight clinicians experienced TREAT as beneficial, whereas five experienced no additional benefits. Thematic analysis revealed five themes surrounding usage and evaluation of TREAT, views on TREAT's graphic representation of routine outcome monitoring results, guideline based treatment recommendations, contextual factors, effects on patients and effects on shared decision-making. Performance and effort expectancy were perceived as high by clinicians. The facilitating conditions were optimal and perceived social influence was low. CONCLUSION: This article presents a qualitative evaluation by clinicians of a computerized clinical decision aid in psychosis care. TREAT was viewed by most clinicians as beneficial during their consultations. The graphic representation of routine outcome monitoring results was well-appreciated and provided input to discuss treatment planning with patients. The treatment recommendations did not change most treatment decisions but supported clinical reasoning. However, some clinicians were unconvinced about TREAT's benefits. The delivery, applicability and the availability of resources require improvement to increase TREAT's efficacy. Not all patients responded well to TREAT but the observed facilitation of shared decision-making is promising. All four predictors of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology were positively evaluated by the majority of clinicians.

Measuring personal recovery in people with a psychotic disorder based on CHIME: A comparison of three validated measures.

Living well in spite of residual symptoms of mental illness is measured with the construct of personal recovery. The CHIME framework might be suitable to evaluate personal recovery measures and guide instrument choice. Three validated measures were evaluated in Dutch patients with a psychotic disorder (N = 52). We compared the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS), the Mental Health Recovery Measure (MHRM), and the Netherlands Empowerment List (NEL). The measures were assessed on six criteria: content validity (based on CHIME), convergent validity with a social support measure, internal consistency, floor and ceiling effects, item interpretability, and ease of administration. The MHRM scored high on content validity with a balanced distribution of items covering the CHIME framework. The MHRM and the NEL showed moderate convergent validity with social support. In all three measures, internal consistency was moderate and floor and ceiling effects were absent. The NEL scores demonstrated a high degree of item interpretability. Ease of administration was moderate for all three measures. Finally, the CHIME framework demonstrated good utility as a framework in guiding instrument choice and evaluation of personal recovery measures. The MHRM showed the best overall result. However, differences between measures were minimal. Generalization of the results is limited by cultural and linguistic factors in the assessment for the subjective measures (i.e. content validity and item interpretability). The broad and multidimensional construct of personal recovery might lead to ambiguous interpretations. Scientific consensus on a well-defined personal recovery construct is needed.

Peer support and skills training through an eating club for people with psychotic disorders: A feasibility study.

OBJECTIVE: The HospitalitY (HY) intervention is a novel recovery oriented intervention for people with psychotic disorders in which peer support and home-based skill training are combined in an eating club. A feasibility study was conducted to inform a subsequent randomised trial. METHODS: This study evaluated three eating clubs consisting of nine participants and three nurses. Semi-structured interviews and pre- and post-intervention measures (18 weeks) of personal recovery, quality of life and functioning were used to evaluate the intervention. Participants received individual skills training, guided by self-identified goals, while organising a dinner at their home. During each dinner, participants engaged in peer support, led by a nurse. RESULTS: In personal interviews participants reported positive effects on social support, loneliness, and self-esteem. Nurses reported that participants became more independent during the intervention. Participants were satisfied with the HY-intervention (attendance rate = 93%). All were able to organise a dinner for their peers with practical support from a nurse. Pre- and post -intervention measures did not show important improvements. LIMITATIONS: Outcome measures were not sensitive to change, likely due to a short intervention period (5 months) and a limited number of participants (N = 9). Using Goal Attainment Scaling to evaluate personal goals turned out to be unfeasible. CONCLUSIONS: The HY-intervention is feasible for participants with psychotic disorders. This study refined intervention and research design for the upcoming multicentre randomised controlled trial. We expect that the Experience Sampling Method will be more sensitive to changes in recovery outcomes than regular pre-post intervention measures.

The effect of mind-body and aerobic exercise on negative symptoms in schizophrenia: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effects of different types of physical exercise (PE) on negative symptoms in schizophrenia patients. Mind-body exercise (MBE), aerobic exercise (AE) and resistance training (RT) will be investigated. METHOD: The Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase and PsycINFO were searched from their inception until April 26, 2018. Randomized controlled trials comparing PE with any control group in patients with schizophrenia were included when negative symptoms had been assessed. This meta-analysis was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias assessment tool. Moderator, sensitivity, and meta regression analyses were conducted to explore causes of heterogeneity and impact of study quality. RESULTS: We included 22 studies (N = 1249). The overall methodological quality was poor. The meta-analysis (random effects model) showed a medium significant effect in favor of any PE intervention (Hedges' g = 0.434, 95% CI = 0.196-0.671) versus any control condition. MBE and AE respectively showed a medium significant effect (Hedges' g = 0.461) and a small significant effect (Hedges' g = 0.341) versus any control condition. The effect of RT could not be examined. The overall heterogeneity was high (I2 = 76%) and could not be reduced with moderator or sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis demonstrated that PE could be a promising intervention in the treatment of negative symptoms. However, the quality of the included studies was low and heterogeneity was high, which makes it impossible to make a clear recommendation. Therefore, results should be interpreted with care.

Persistent Low Rates of Treatment of Metabolic Risk Factors in People With Psychotic Disorders: A PHAMOUS Study.

OBJECTIVE: People with psychotic disorders have an increased metabolic risk and a shortened life expectancy compared to the general population. Two large studies showed that metabolic disorders were untreated in a majority of the patients. Since then, guidelines have urged monitoring of metabolic health. This study examined the course of metabolic disorders over time in people with psychotic disorders and investigated current treatment rates. METHODS: A total of 1,259 patients with psychotic disorders, as defined by the DSM-IV, from 4 Dutch mental health institutions participated in 3 yearly assessments of the Pharmacotherapy Monitoring and Outcome Survey (PHAMOUS) between 2006 and 2014. Patients' metabolic parameters were measured, and the use of pharmacologic treatment for hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mm Hg), dyslipidemia (5% ≤ Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation [SCORE] risk < 10% and low-density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol level ≥ 2.5 mmol/L or SCORE risk ≥ 10% and LDL cholesterol level ≥ 1.8 mmol/L and/or triglycerides ≥ 2.3 mmol/L), and hyperglycemia (hemoglobin A1c concentration > 7% and/or fasting glucose concentration ≥ 7.2 mmol/L) was recorded. RESULTS: Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome, as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program criteria, was > 50% at each assessment. On the basis of the European Society of Cardiology guidelines, pharmacotherapy for metabolic disorders was recommended for 52%-59% of the patients at each assessment. Treatment rates with antihypertensive (from 31% to 38%, P < .001) pharmacotherapy increased throughout the assessments. However, half of the patients were not treated for their metabolic risk factors while being monitored for 3 years or longer. Older patients were more likely to receive treatment, and patients who received treatment had lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations than patients not receiving the recommended treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic risk factors are still seriously undertreated in people with psychotic disorders. Better adherence to and better implementation of guidelines about monitoring and treating metabolic disorders in psychiatry are crucial.

Cannabis and a lower BMI in psychosis: What is the role of AKT1?

Cannabis use has been associated with favorable outcomes on metabolic risk factors. The cause of this relation is still unknown. In this study we investigated whether this effect is mediated by the AKT1 gene, as activation of the related enzyme by cannabis may cause metabolic changes. Six Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) of the AKT1 gene (rs1130214, rs1130233, rs2494732, rs2498784, rs3730358, and rs3803300) of patients with psychotic disorders (n=623) were related to Body Mass Index (BMI), levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HBA1c) and total metabolic risk. Next, mediation analysis was performed with BMI as outcome, cannabis as predictor, and AKT1 as mediator. Cannabis use was inversely related to BMI but not with levels of HBA1c and total metabolic risk. Moreover, out of 6 AKT1 SNPs, rs2494732 was associated with cannabis use, but AKT1 did not mediate the effect of cannabis on BMI. In conclusion, cannabis use is likely to be associated with a lower BMI in patients with a psychotic disorder. Moreover, AKT1 risk alleles may increase the incidence of cannabis use in patients with a psychotic disorder, but AKT1 does not appear to mediate the effect of cannabis on BMI.

Cannabis use in people with severe mental illness: The association with physical and mental health--a cohort study. A Pharmacotherapy Monitoring and Outcome Survey study.

OBJECTIVE: In the general population cannabis use is associated with better cardiometabolic outcomes. Patients with severe mental illness frequently use cannabis, but also present increased cardiometabolic risk factors. We explore the association between cannabis use and cardiometabolic risk factors in patients with severe mental illness. METHOD: A total of 3169 patients with severe mental illness from a Dutch cohort were included in the study. The association of cannabis use with body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, glycated hemoglobin and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale was examined with separate univariate AN(C)OVA. Changes in metabolic risk factors and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale were examined after a follow-up interval of 9-24 months, for patients who continued, discontinued, started or were never using cannabis between the two assessments. RESULTS: Cannabis users at baseline had lower body mass index, smaller waist circumference, lower diastolic blood pressure, and more severe psychotic symptoms than non-users. Patients who discontinued their cannabis use after the first assessment had a greater increase in body mass index, waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure and triglyceride concentrations than other patients, and the severity of their psychotic symptoms had decreased more compared to continued users and non-users. CONCLUSION: Extra attention should be paid to the monitoring and treatment of metabolic parameters in patients who discontinue their cannabis use.

The effects of lifestyle interventions on (long-term) weight management, cardiometabolic risk and depressive symptoms in people with psychotic disorders: a meta-analysis.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to estimate the effects of lifestyle interventions on bodyweight and other cardiometabolic risk factors in people with psychotic disorders. Additionally, the long-term effects on body weight and the effects on depressive symptoms were examined. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We searched four databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared lifestyle interventions to control conditions in patients with psychotic disorders. Lifestyle interventions were aimed at weight loss or weight gain prevention, and the study outcomes included bodyweight or metabolic parameters. RESULTS: The search resulted in 25 RCTs -only 4 were considered high quality- showing an overall effect of lifestyle interventions on bodyweight (effect size (ES)  =  -0.63, p<0.0001). Lifestyle interventions were effective in both weight loss (ES =  -0.52, p<0.0001) and weight-gain-prevention (ES =  -0.84, p = 0.0002). There were significant long-term effects, two to six months post-intervention, for both weight-gain-prevention interventions (ES =  -0.85, p = 0.0002) and weight loss studies (ES =  -0.46, p = 0.02). Up to ten studies reported on cardiometabolic risk factors and showed that lifestyle interventions led to significant improvements in waist circumference, triglycerides, fasting glucose and insulin. No significant effects were found for blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Four studies reported on depressive symptoms and showed a significant effect (ES =  -0.95, p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Lifestyle interventions are effective in treating and preventing obesity, and in reducing cardiometabolic risk factors. However, the quality of the studies leaves much to be desired.