Treatment
A computer program will randomly allocate participants to one of two groups: either 'Monitoring' or 'Monitoring plus Cognitive Therapy'.
- Both groups will receive monitoring. This involves:
- Frequent assessments of mental status for up to 2 years
- Creation of a crisis card
- Ensuring registration with a GP
- The therapy involves:
- Up to 25 sessions of weekly therapy sessions over six months
What are the advantages of participating?
- Monitoring will allow identification of risks to self and others
- Each participant will have a GP if he or she is not registered
- Each participant will have a crisis card
- Monitoring will allow detection of psychosis early, reducing duration of untreated psychosis, which is a national NHS target
- Referrers will not be asked to withhold treatment but monitoring will reduce the frequently high number of contacts made prior to the onset of psychosis
All participants will receive:
- Crisis cards
- Risk assessment and management
- Regular, stable contact and monitoring
- Reduction in duration of untreated psychosis
- Registration with a GP
- Supportive, non-judgemental and empathic contact with a professional
