Usability and Feasibility of the Antipsychotic Medication Decision Aid in a Community Program for First-Episode Psychosis.

OBJECTIVE: Although antipsychotic medications are considered first-line treatment for psychosis, rates of discontinuation and nonadherence are high, and debate persists about their use. This pilot study aimed to explore the usability, feasibility, and potential impact of a shared decision making (SDM) intervention, the Antipsychotic Medication Decision Aid (APM-DA), for decisions about use of antipsychotic medications. METHODS: A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted with 17 participants in a first-episode psychosis program. Nine participants received the APM-DA, and eight received usual care. RESULTS: After their appointments, intervention group participants had less decisional conflict and greater satisfaction with decisions than control group participants had. Use of the APM-DA did not increase appointment length. Comparison of the intervention outcomes with the control outcomes was limited because of the small sample. CONCLUSIONS: The results support the feasibility and usability of an SDM process via the use of the APM-DA in routine community psychosis care.

Self-determination and self-efficacy as predictors of campus engagement among college students with serious mental illnesses.

OBJECTIVE: Campus engagement, including participation in student organizations and groups, is important for both academic and health outcomes. Yet, college students with serious mental illnesses demonstrate lower levels of campus engagement compared to peers without mental illnesses. To inform psychiatric rehabilitation approaches that might enhance this outcome, the purpose of this study was to test an integrated model of self-determination and self-efficacy theories to predict campus engagement within this student population. METHODS: Sixty-seven college students with serious mental illnesses completed measures assessing self-determination constructs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), college self-efficacy, and campus engagement. Correlational and path analytic models examined relationships among these variables. RESULTS: Bivariate and multivariate analyses supported the interrelationships among the variables. Specifically, the theory-driven path model demonstrated that autonomy (but not competence or relatedness) was a significant predictor of college self-efficacy, which in turn was associated with campus engagement. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Findings particularly highlight the importance of autonomy and self-efficacy for promoting campus engagement among college students with serious mental illnesses. As such, they may be relevant targets for psychiatric rehabilitation interventions, such as supported education, that are designed to enhance student success. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Peer-Facilitated Decision Making in Mental Health: Promises, Pitfalls, and Recommendations for Research and Practice.

Recognition has grown that peer support workers serve an important role in facilitating decision making about treatment and recovery among people with mental health conditions. This article provides examples of peer-facilitated decision support interventions in the literature, discusses promises and potential pitfalls associated with peers serving in decision support roles, and offers recommendations for research and practice. Examples were selected from the literature on decision support interventions for people with serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. Promises, pitfalls, and recommendations were informed by this research and by the literature on lived experience perspectives, the helper-therapy principle, and reported barriers to and facilitators of peers assisting with decision making. According to the included studies, peers may facilitate decision making in several ways (e.g., by asking service users about their goals or preferences, assisting them with using decision support tools, sharing stories, and facilitating access to information and resources). Peer-facilitated decision support may be associated with positive decision making and health outcomes for service users and peer support workers. However, providers need to carefully consider barriers to implementation of this support, such as inadequate resourcing, poor integration, and compromising of peer support values.

Housing and loneliness among individuals with serious mental illnesses.

BACKGROUND: People with serious mental illnesses (SMI) have higher levels of loneliness than the general population. Furthermore, people with SMI tend to be less satisfied with their housing and tend to move more frequently. AIM: This study aims to examine relationships between housing variables (whom they live with, duration of residence, and satisfaction) and loneliness among individuals with SMI. METHODS: Data were collected from 188 adults with SMI in greater Philadelphia area. Classification and Regression Trees (CART) were used to examine whether whom they live with, duration of residence, and housing satisfaction were associated with loneliness. RESULTS: Housing satisfaction was found to be the most prominent predictor of loneliness. Those who were unsatisfied with their overall housing conditions always had the highest level of loneliness, regardless of other factors. Even if they were satisfied with their housing conditions, their loneliness was higher if they had just moved to the new residence. Participants had lower loneliness the longer they lived in a residence and had the lowest loneliness levels after about three years. CONCLUSION: Housing is associated with loneliness among people with SMI. Psychiatric service providers should increase support to factors contributing to housing satisfaction and duration of residence, including active engagement in the community.

Implementation of occupational therapy within early intervention in psychosis services: Results from a national survey.

AIM: Occupational therapy plays an important role in fostering community participation in areas such as education, employment, leisure, and social relationships, yet its added value within early intervention in psychosis services, especially in the United States, remains poorly understood. The purpose of this research was to conduct a national survey of early intervention in psychosis programs to: (1) understand the role and unique contributions of occupational therapists to early intervention teams, and (2) identify barriers and supports to the implementation of occupational therapy services within these programs. METHODS: Fifty-one senior leaders from U.S.-based early intervention in psychosis programs participated in the national survey. The survey consisted of a series of closed and open-ended questions related to program staffing, the presence of specific services that fall within the occupational therapy scope of practice, and implementation barriers and supports. RESULTS: Despite there being strong interest in employing occupational therapists, a small proportion of programs (31%) reported having them on staff. Occupational therapists supported clients across multiple life areas and were significantly more likely than other team members to promote daily living activities (e.g., cooking) and to address sensory processing needs and challenges. Implementation was influenced by environmental/organizational and staff factors; the primary barrier was funding. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the role occupational therapists may play in facilitating the community participation of clients of early intervention services, but significant barriers to implementation of occupational therapy services remain. Additional research is needed to further identify the impact of occupational therapy services within the early intervention model.

Identifying indicators of community participation-promoting efforts within coordinated specialty care: A modified e-Delphi study of stakeholder perspectives.

AIM: Community participation in occupational, social, recreational, and other domains is critically important during young adulthood. Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) programs provide developmentally tailored care to young adults experiencing early psychosis within the United States, but little is known about the breadth of efforts to promote community participation. This study aimed to develop and evaluate indicators of these efforts based on the perspectives of a national multi-stakeholder group. METHODS: Seventeen stakeholders (i.e., young adults with early psychosis, family members, experts by profession) participated in a modified e-Delphi study, conducted in two rounds. The purpose of round one was to generate a comprehensive list of community participation-promoting indicators. During round two, stakeholders rated the importance and feasibility of the implementation of each indicator. Descriptive statistics and percentage of agreement regarding round two ratings were assessed. RESULTS: During round one, 186 indicators of activities and/or practices designed to promote community participation were identified; this list was reduced to 44 by eliminating redundancies or indicators not related to community participation. In round two, we found broad agreement regarding the importance, but significant variation in perceived feasibility of indicators. The highest-rated indicators in both categories pertained to staff knowledge (regarding barriers and supports to participation and the importance of participation to health) and strategies for addressing participation barriers. CONCLUSIONS: This study is expected to facilitate the identification and development of promising CSC activities and practices designed to promote community participation among young adults while potentially also enhancing engagement in services and improving clinical outcomes.

Exploring peer specialists' experiences with spirituality in their work: Recommendations for future directions.

OBJECTIVE: Spirituality is part of recovery for many people with lived experience of mental health issues, including those who become peer specialists and utilize their own recovery experiences to facilitate the recovery of others. This research explores how peer specialists view spirituality in their work with their peers and the factors that impact conversations in this area. METHOD: Eleven peer specialists participated in individual qualitative interviews. Inquiries were made about their own experiences of spirituality and how these were used to support others. Additional questions probed factors that facilitated or served as barriers to their ability to engage in such conversations. Data were subjected to thematic analysis. RESULTS: Peer specialists experienced well-being, hope, and self-acceptance through spirituality. Use of spirituality in peer support was influenced by their personal spiritual journey, specifically because they understood its value to recovery. Barriers to use included fear of rejection and lack of formal support. The number one facilitator was their personal experience, but they suggested the need for training and guidelines as important future facilitators. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Results indicate that at least some peer specialists are thinking about the role of spirituality in their work but express some struggles with such activities. There appears a need for guidelines on how to use spirituality in peer support, better definitions of the competencies peer specialists need, and more attention to training and supervision in this area-possibly to maximize the benefit of the lived experience that many peer specialists bring to their work. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Treatment decision-making needs among emerging adults with early psychosis.

AIM: Many emerging adults disengage from early intervention in psychosis (EIP) services prematurely. Service disengagement may be in part due to having unresolved treatment decision-making needs about use of mental health services. A basic understanding of the decision-making needs of this population is lacking. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the range of treatment decisions that emerging adults face during their initial engagement in an EIP program and elucidate barriers and facilitators to decision-making. METHODS: Twenty emerging adults with early psychosis were administered semistructured interviews to capture treatment decision-making experiences during the first six months after enrolment in an EIP program. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Responses were independently coded by two authors using an integrated thematic analysis approach; differences in coding were discussed to consensus. Data analysis was facilitated using NVivo 12 Plus. RESULTS: Emerging adults identified numerous decisions faced after EIP enrolment. Decisions pertaining to life and treatment goals and to starting and continuing psychiatric medication were commonly selected as the most difficult/complicated. Decision-making barriers included not having the right amount or type of information/knowledge, social factors (e.g., lacking social support, opposition/pressure), lacking internal resources (e.g., cognitive and communication skills, self-efficacy, motivation) and unappealing options. Obtaining information/knowledge, social supports (e.g., connection/trust, learning from others' experiences, encouragement), considering personal values, and time were decision-making facilitators. CONCLUSIONS: This study informs development and optimization of interventions to support decision-making among emerging adults with early psychosis, which may promote service engagement.

Facilitating treatment engagement for early psychosis through peer-delivered decision support: intervention development and protocol for pilot evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Emerging adults with early psychosis demonstrate high rates of service disengagement from critical early intervention services. Decision support interventions and peer support have both been shown to enhance service engagement but are understudied in this population. The purposes of this article are to describe the development of a novel peer-delivered decision coaching intervention for this population and to report plans for a pilot study designed to gather preliminary data about its feasibility, acceptability, and potential impact. METHODS: The intervention was developed based on formative qualitative data and in collaboration with a diverse team of researchers, key stakeholders, and expert consultants. The pilot trial will utilize a single-group (N = 20), pre-post, convergent mixed-methods design to explore whether and how the intervention addresses decision-making needs (the primary intervention target). The impact of the intervention on secondary outcomes (e.g., engagement in the program) will also be assessed. Additionally, through observation and feedback from the peer decision coach and study participants, we will evaluate the feasibility of research and intervention procedures, and the acceptability of information and support from the peer decision coach. DISCUSSION: The peer-delivered decision coaching intervention holds promise for assisting young people with making informed and values-consistent decisions about their care, and potentially enhancing service engagement within this traditionally difficult-to-engage population. If the intervention demonstrates feasibility and acceptability, and pilot data show its potential for improving treatment decision-making, our work will also lay the foundation for a new evidence base regarding roles for peer specialists on early intervention teams. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT04532034 ) on 28 August 2020 as Temple University Protocol Record 261047, Facilitating Engagement in Evidence-Based Treatment for Early Psychosis.

A Systematic Review of Shared Decision-Making Interventions for Service Users With Serious Mental Illnesses: State of the Science and Future Directions.

OBJECTIVE: Shared decision making (SDM) is a health communication model that may be particularly appealing to service users with serious mental illnesses, who often want to be involved in making decisions about their mental health care. The purpose of this systematic review was to describe and evaluate participant, intervention, methodological, and outcome characteristics of SDM intervention studies conducted within this population. METHODS: Systematic searches of the literature through April 2020 were conducted and supplemented by hand searching of reference lists of identified studies. A total of 53 independent studies of SDM interventions that were conducted with service users with serious mental illnesses and that included a quantitative or qualitative measure of the intervention were included in the review. Data were independently extracted by at least two authors. RESULTS: Most studies were conducted with middle-age, male, White individuals from Western countries. Interventions fell into the following categories: decision support tools only, multicomponent interventions involving decision support tools, multicomponent interventions not involving decision support tools, and shared care planning and preference elicitation interventions. Most studies were randomized controlled trials with sufficient sample sizes. Outcomes assessed were diverse, spanning decision-making constructs, clinical and functional, treatment engagement or adherence, and other constructs. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest important future directions for research, including the need to evaluate the impact of SDM in special populations (e.g., young adults and racial-ethnic minority groups); to expand interventions to a broader array of decisions, users, and contexts; and to establish consensus measures to assess intervention effectiveness.

Beliefs About the Causes of Psychosis Among Persons With Psychosis and Mental Health Professionals: A Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVE: The beliefs that people with psychosis hold about causes of their illness (causal beliefs) can affect their choice to adhere to treatment and engage in mental health services. However, less is known about causal beliefs of mental health professionals (MHPs) and their impact on treatment adherence and service engagement. This review explored literature focusing on MHPs' causal beliefs and mapped the degree of concordance between their causal beliefs and those of people with psychosis. METHODS: A systematic literature search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Applied Social Sciences Index Abstracts and a gray-literature search of PsyArXiv and MedNar yielded 11,821 eligible references. The first author reviewed all titles and abstracts, and the coauthors reviewed 10% (N=1,200). RESULTS: Forty-two articles were included. Most articles indicated that MHPs tend to endorse biogenetic beliefs (9 of 15 articles assessing MHPs' beliefs, 60%), whereas people with psychosis tend to endorse psychosocial beliefs (16 of 31 articles, 52%) and other nonbiogenetic beliefs (in 8 of 31 articles, 26%). Most studies did not compare causal beliefs of people with psychosis and their treating MHP. Studies varied in design, setting, and measures. CONCLUSIONS: MHPs and people with psychosis often hold complex views composed of different types of causal beliefs. However, a gap in causal beliefs between these groups appears to exist, which may affect the therapeutic relationship and pose barriers to treatment adherence. Future studies should address this gap by developing interventions that facilitate open communication about causal beliefs to promote treatment alliance and shared decision making.

Beyond rationality: Expanding the practice of shared decision making in modern medicine.

The contemporary healthcare field operates according to an autonomy model of medical decision-making. This model stipulates that patients have the right to make informed choices about their care. Shared decision making (SDM) has arisen as the dominant approach for clinicians and patients to collaborate in care planning and implementation. This approach relies heavily on normative (rational) decision-making processes, and often leaves out descriptive influences that stem from personal, social, and environmental factors and explain how decisions are typically made in the real world. The lack of attention to descriptive decision-making limits SDM in many ways. A multi-level approach to expanding the practice of SDM is proposed, including tailoring the decision encounter based on patients' social, cultural, and environmental context; using relational elements strategically as part of the SDM process; and modifying incentive models to promote greater attention to descriptive impacts on decision-making. These modifications are expected to make SDM, and thus patient care, more inclusive, effective, and acceptable to diverse patients.

Evaluating the feasibility of a decision aid to promote shared decision making among young adults with first-episode psychosis: protocol for a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Young adults ages 18 to 25 with first episode psychosis (FEP) have an increased risk of discontinuation antipsychotic medications and psychiatric service disengagement that lead to symptom exacerbation and deterioration. We seek to (1) examine the feasibility, usability, and potential impact of a Shared Decision Making (SDM) Antipsychotic Medication Decision Aid (DA) on decision-making, adherence to the decision made, and service engagement among young adults with FEP and (2) understand the role of additional patient-level factors on SDM. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial is being conducted in a coordinated specialty care community program for FEP in an urban setting. Eligible patients are randomly assigned to receive an intervention, the Antipsychotic Medication Decision Aid, or treatment as usual. Patients receive their assigned intervention before their medication appointment with the psychiatrist and complete four interviews: before the appointment (T0), after the appointment (T1), and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups (T2 and T3). The study staff and participating psychiatrists are not blinded to the intervention. The data are de-identified to maintain blinding during the analysis process. The primary aims are feasibility of intervention delivery and research procedures and preliminary impact of the intervention on SDM-related outcomes, medication adherence, and service engagement. As a secondary aim, we will explore the contribution of personality and motivation variables, clinical relationships, cognitive functioning, and mental-health-related stigma to SDM. If the sample size permits, we plan to conduct parametric tests such as independent-samples t tests at T1 to compare differences in SDM, adherence, and engagement scales. In the case of a small sample size, we will use non-parametric tests and descriptive statistics. DISCUSSION: This protocol outlines the methodology for a feasibility pilot comparing the effect of a novel SDM Antipsychotic Medication encounter DA with treatment as usual on SDM, medication adherence, and service engagement in FEP care. SDM is endorsed as a framework for use in FEP and antipsychotic pharmacotherapy, but its impact on adherence and health outcomes is unclear. Understanding the potential contribution of an SDM Antipsychotic Medication DA compared with usual care in psychosis pharmacotherapy is critical. The study will help answer several key questions new to SDM research, including the contribution of personality and clinical relationships to SDM in mental health and psychosis in particular. The study will serve to gather feasibility data to inform future studies and scale-up. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Ethics approval was obtained through Temple University's institutional review board (IRB) and the City of Philadelphia's Department of Public Health IRB. The study has been retrospectively registered with ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT04373590 on 29 April 2020. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04373590?term=NCT04373590&draw=2&rank=1.

Community participation factors and poor neurocognitive functioning among persons with schizophrenia.

Poor neurocognitive functioning among individuals with schizophrenia is typically conceptualized as resulting from a disease process. The objective of this article is to further expand understanding of poor neurocognition beyond pathogenesis toward a perspective that also incorporates community participation factors. This article focuses on three such factors-sedentary behavior, loneliness, and poverty-that have been demonstrated to be related to neurocognition and are highly prevalent among individuals with schizophrenia. This article provides an overview of the research on each factor and discusses its possible connection to neurocognitive challenges for individuals with schizophrenia. Implications for research, policy, and practice efforts are then proposed to broaden approaches to understanding and addressing neurocognitive challenges in this population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

An Examination of the Community Participation Interests of Young Adults with Serious Mental Illnesses.

Participation in various aspects of community life (e.g., education, employment) plays a critical role in fostering young adult development and health. To support behavioral health services in addressing a broader array of meaningful community participation areas, the current study examined the participation interests of young adults with serious mental illnesses via a literature review and focus groups interviews. Literature review results revealed a range of community participation areas of interest to these individuals, including employment, education, religion and spirituality, social networking (e.g., using social media), volunteering activities, socializing, and civic and artistic participation (e.g., attending a political event, playing music). Focus group participants named many of these same areas, but also mentioned unique areas of participation that have not been the focus of previous research (i.e., playing games, sports, exploration of other communities (e.g., traveling), hanging out, and nature-based participation). Implications for future research and behavioral health practice are discussed.

Self-Determination and Choice in Mental Health: Qualitative Insights From a Study of Self-Directed Care.

SELF-DETERMINATION AND CHOICE IN MENTAL HEALTH.

An exploration of linear and curvilinear relationships between community participation and neurocognition among those with serious mental illnesses.

OBJECTIVE: Longitudinal research supports an effect of participation in aspects of community life (e.g., leisure activity, employment) on neurocognition in the general population. This study examined the extent and nature of the relationship between community participation and neurocognition among people with serious mental illnesses. METHOD: Participants included 168 adults with schizophrenia spectrum or affective disorder diagnoses who completed the Temple University Community Participation Measure and Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses explored linear and curvilinear effects of the amount and breadth of community participation on neurocognition. RESULTS: Significant linear relationships existed between amount of community participation and overall neurocognitive functioning, motor speed, verbal fluency, and attention/processing speed, and between breadth of participation and verbal fluency. Significant curvilinear effects were noted between amount of community participation and verbal memory, and between breadth of community participation and overall neurocognitive functioning and motor speed. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Findings suggest that enhanced community participation may contribute to improved neurocognitive functioning, further supporting the importance of this rehabilitation target. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Coordinating Mental Health Services for People with Serious Mental Illness: A Scoping Review of Transitions from Psychiatric Hospital to Community.

Effective coordination as people with serious mental illness (SMI) move between care settings is essential. We aimed to review challenges to care coordination for people with SMI and identify approaches for improving it. Sixteen articles were identified. Two main challenges emerged: people with SMI facing adjustment challenges during transitions and services struggling to provide continuity of care. Effective approaches addressed coordination challenges and resulted in better improvements in service utilization, social functioning and quality of life. Future interventions may benefit from shared decision-making, support for caregivers, and addressing the challenges associated with complicated medication regimes and accessing medications.

Conceptualizing restorative justice for people with mental illnesses leaving prison or jail.

Individuals with psychiatric disabilities who are involved in the criminal justice system face a number of challenges to community integration upon release. There is a critical need to develop and evaluate interventions for these individuals that connect them to the community by enhancing naturalistic social connections and helping them to participate meaningfully in valued roles. The purposes of this article are to describe, provide a theoretical rationale, and propose a conceptual model for the use of a particular restorative justice model, circles of support and accountability, to meet this need. We describe the principles of restorative justice (repairing harm, stakeholder involvement, and the transformation of community and governmental roles and relationships) and how these map on to elements of the circles intervention. These elements include a focus on community participation, positive social support, democratic decision making, collective ownership of crime problems, and connection to community-based resources. We then suggest how changes in identity transformation, moral development and motivation, and collective efficacy might mediate relationships between these intervention elements and community integration outcomes. Finally, we encourage the systematic evaluation of the circles intervention for people with mental health conditions leaving custody and provide recommendations for policy and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Beck Self-Esteem Scale-Short Form: Development and psychometric evaluation of a scale for the assessment of self-concept in schizophrenia.

A requisite step for testing cognitive theories regarding the role of self-concept in schizophrenia is the development of measures that follow a cognitive conceptualization and better capture the multifaceted nature of this construct. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties a new self-concept measure, the Beck Self-Esteem Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF), based on a sample of 204 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. We evaluated the BSES-SF's dimensionality, internal consistency reliability, and construct and divergent validity using confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha, Pearson correlations, independent samples t-tests, and one-way analysis of variance. Findings indicate that the 10-item BSES-SF is a reliable and valid measure of self-concept that is appropriate for a broad group of individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Following cognitive theory, the scale demonstrated significant relationships with delusion severity, motivation, and depression, further signifying its utility for research and practice efforts that are designed to address psychopathology in schizophrenia.