Journal article

Young people's experience of online therapy for first-episode psychosis: A qualitative study

Lee Valentine, Carla McEnery, Shaunagh O'Sullivan, Simon D'Alfonso, John Gleeson, Sarah Bendall, Mario Alvarez-Jimenez

PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY-THEORY RESEARCH AND PRACTICE | WILEY | Published : 2022

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to understand how young people with first-episode psychosis experienced online therapy on a Moderated Online Social Therapy (MOST) platform known as Horyzons. Methods: Semi-structured in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 young people who had previously participated in Horyzons, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a long-term digital intervention for first-episode psychosis. Interviews were analysed using a phenomenological approach. Results: This study found that the online therapy experience for first-episode psychosis was idiosyncratic, taking on different meaning for different users. The relatively fixed therapeutic content led to experien..

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Grants

Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council


Funding Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the young people who participated in this research study and shared their time, thoughts, and experiences. M.A-J. was supported by an Investigator Grant (APP1177235) from the National Health and Medical Research Council and a Dame Kate Campbell Fellowship from The University of Melbourne. SB was supported by the McCusker Foundation Fellowship and University of Melbourne Ronald Philip Griffths Fellowship.