Individuals’ experiences of late onset psychosis & its treatment
Research type
Research Study
Full title
“How middle aged-individuals make sense of their experiences of becoming unwell and receiving treatment after their first episode of psychosis”
IRAS ID
249869
Contact name
Daphne Josselin
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
City, University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 7 months, 9 days
Research summary
The proposed research aims to explore how middle-aged individuals make sense of their experiences of becoming unwell and receiving treatment after their first episode of psychosis (FEP). \nPsychosis is reported to be a serious, potentially life-changing and debilitating mental health condition which can have far-reaching implications for the individual and his/her family (Lester et al., 2012; Department of Health, 2014). FEP has been associated with high rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, self-harm and actual suicide (World Health Report, 2001). A lot of studies about FEP have focussed on 14-35-year olds yet FEP in middle-age is no rare event. Howard et al (2000) cite disease prevalence of 15-32 % in Middle-aged individuals. Middle-aged individuals with FEP are reported to be quite sensitive to their environments, being suspicious of others, and feeling judged negatively, which results in them developing reduced trust, which affects their social interactions and employment (Connell et al., 2014;2015; Cocker et al., 2015), resulting in social isolation, stigma and discrimination. \nGaining a deeper understanding into how middle-aged individuals make sense of their symptoms and experiences could lead to tailoring optimal treatment packages and service responses suitable to meet their needs (Selvendra et.al., 2014). Additionally, studies have indicated that age productivity profiles are highest between 25-65 years when labour productivity is assessed as a function of age (Börsch-Supan & Weiss, 2016). \nFor this study, English speaking individuals under the care of the EIIP service in the Surrey area, aged 40-60 years will be eligible. The individuals will have capacity to give written consent to participating in the study. To gather data, open-ended questions will be asked in interviews conducted in local areas where the individuals usually meet with professionals from the Early Intervention in Psychosis service. There will initially be a 30-minute screening interview to identify suitable participants followed by a face to face interview which will last 60-90 minutes with refreshments and a comfort break if required.\n\n
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
19/NS/0028
Date of REC Opinion
13 Mar 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion