Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Psychosis

Yale University

Overview

The broad goals of our pilot study are to (1) determine whether psychodynamic psychotherapy for psychosis (PPfP), relative to treatment as usual (TaU), can maintain or augment clinical and functional benefits for patients who have achieved initial recovery in our coordinated specialty care (CSC) early psychosis treatment program; (2) to conduct novel empirical study of how various psychodynamic factors may inform candidate selection, mediate therapeutic effects, and influence relational aspects of the therapy; and (3) to conduct a detailed study of how features of therapist and patient speech and behavior influence therapeutic outcomes, therapeutic alliance alliance, and relational process. This registration focuses on the first goal.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Conditions

Psychotic Disorders

Interventions

Psychodynamic PsychotherapyBEHAVIORAL

Intensive psychotherapy that is psychodynamically oriented.

Usual CareBEHAVIORAL

Conventional treatment offered in the community.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 16 YearsMax age: 35 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * completed the 2-3 year Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) program * judged by present provider to be in an intermediate or advanced phase of recovery * had first episode of psychosis within the 3 years prior to enrollment Exclusion Criteria: * established diagnosis of primary affective disorder, psychosis secondary to substance use or a medical illness * inability to communicate in English * eligibility for Department of Developmental Services * legally mandated to enter treatment.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Overall Symptom Severity

The Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) will be used. This is a 30 item scale. Each item is measured on a 7-point scale from 1 (absent) to 7 (extreme). Items are summed to obtain an overall score.