Characteristics associated with the pursuit of work and school among participants in a treatment program for first episode of psychosis.

Abstract

Objective This study examines the pursuit of education and employment among participants in the Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode (RAISE) Connection Program, a first episode of psychosis (FEP) treatment program emphasizing participation in school and work. Methods Data were collected from 2011–2013 on all 65 individuals in the RAISE Connection Program. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and multinomial logit random-effects models were used to examine rates of work/school participation and predictors of work/school participation. Results Most participants who eventually engaged in vocational activities did so within the first year of participation. Many engaged in both school and work. Those working (alone or with school) had better pre-morbid functioning and cognition and less-severe concurrent symptoms. Conclusions and Implications for Practice Participants in FEP programs emphasizing school and work can have high rates of vocational participation, engaging early, and often simultaneously in work and school.

Recent violence and legal involvement among young adults with early psychosis enrolled in Coordinated Specialty Care

“…Prior studies have shown that individuals with FEP who work have better functioning and lower severity of symptoms (Humensky, Essock, & Dixon, 2017). This is notable as a core component of many FEP Coordinated Specialty Care programs, like OnTrackNY, is the provision of supported education and employment.…”

Integrating Interventions That Can Support a Career-Oriented Recovery for Young Adults: Building on the Supported Education Knowledge Base

“…Individuals with mental health problems often have previous experiences of failures related to studies, and describe barriers which are sometimes linked to the illness itself, such as symptoms and issues with treatments/medicine (e.g. [19,30,34,44,63]). Other barriers to studies include; poor academic self-confidence, a lack of academic abilities and challenges in coping with stress [4,18,19,46,63,65] a lack of social skills [19,46,63,65,69], stigma [4,34], and economic problems [39,44,63].…”

“…There are additionally a number of uncontrolled studies that suggest the potential of integrated models, those that include supports to both school and employment, to produce benefits for young people with early psychosis [17,29,30,32,58,60,63].…”

“…In addition to these variations, a number of articles described adaptations of the model including: integrating SEd in IPS services in order to facilitate educational and vocational goals (e.g. [17,29,30,32,39,49,51,57,63]). SEd programs were also embedded within the research curriculum of a graduate occupational therapy program provided at a college, with master students participating as mentors [66,67], and offered through ongoing peer support for service users [15,17,60].…”

“…[23,45]). In fact, the studies which occurred in collaboration with the Raise study and focus on FEP, are part of a clinical intervention package that includes medication management, family psychoeducation and Individual resilience training along with SEE [29,30,51,62].…”