Journal article

Staged treatment and acceptability guidelines in early psychosis study (STAGES): A randomized placebo controlled trial of intensive psychosocial treatment plus or minus antipsychotic medication for first-episode psychosis with low-risk of self-harm or aggression. Study protocol and baseline characteristics of participants

B O'Donoghue, SM Francey, B Nelson, A Ratheesh, K Allott, J Graham, L Baldwin, M Alvarez-Jimenez, A Thompson, A Fornito, A Polari, M Berk, C Macneil, K Crisp, C Pantelis, HP Yuen, S Harrigan, P McGorry

Early Intervention in Psychiatry | WILEY | Published : 2019

Abstract

Aim: It is now necessary to investigate whether recovery in psychosis is possible without the use of antipsychotic medication. This study will determine (1) whether a first-episode psychosis (FEP) group receiving intensive psychosocial interventions alone can achieve symptomatic remission and functional recovery; (2) whether prolonging the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) in a sub-group according to randomisation will be associated with a poorer outcome and thereby establish whether the relationship between DUP and outcome is causative; and (3) whether neurobiological changes observed in FEP are associated with the psychotic disorder or antipsychotic medication. Baseline characteristics..

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