About this Research Topic
Around 20% of people diagnosed with psychosis develop longer term, complex problems. These include positive symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, that do not respond to first line treatments, as well as negative symptoms that cause apathy and difficulties with organisational skills. Many also experience co-existing problems that complicate recovery further, including developmental and attachment disorders that pre-date the development of psychosis, other mental health symptoms, physical health conditions, and substance misuse. These complex issues negatively impact on the person’s day to day function and lead to high levels of disability. Often, people with complex psychosis will have recurrent and lengthy hospital admissions and high support needs in the community.
Recent research has shown that the vast majority of people with complex psychosis can achieve and sustain a rewarding community life when services adopt a ‘whole system’ rehabilitative approach (that involves health, social care and voluntary sector providers working together to support people over the longer term to achieve their optimum functioning and independence). However, we still need to know more about the types of treatment and support that should be delivered, by whom, and how services should be organised to enable this to reliably take place.
Therefore, the goal of this Research Topic is to harness the latest research on the development, content and delivery of effective complex interventions for people with complex psychosis. We will include research that helps us understand more about specific biopsychosocial interventions that are showing benefits for this group and how to implement these in the different services that make up the ‘whole system’ of rehabilitative care for people with complex psychosis.
We are interested in systematic reviews of relevant published research, studies describing the development of psychosocial interventions for this group, case control studies and trials to assess effectiveness, and implementation studies that can shed light on the most suitable approaches to roll-out in different contexts. Quantitative and qualitative approaches are welcome. Studies may target staff, clients, or carers in any relevant setting, including inpatient or community settings, independent or supported accommodation. Studies which help to illuminate and understand similarities and differences between different service systems and countries are also welcome.
Keywords: Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Psychosocial Disability, Interventions, Psychosis, Biopsychosocial
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
