Intervention in the prepsychotic phase of schizophrenia and related disorders: towards effective and safe strategies for earliest intervention in phychotic disorders

Abstract

In recent years there has been a groundswell of clinical and research interest around the world in early intervention in psychotic disorders (Edwards & McGorry 2002; Malla and Norman 2002). The early psychosis paradigm, which is centred on early detection and optimal treatment of first episode psychosis and the subsequent critical years, has become a sustained growth front in both the clinical and research arenas. This is due to the great potential of this approach, the strong commitment to evidence-based medicine, the quality of the research endeavours, and the close integration of the research and clinical questions. Further progress will depend upon the involvement of an increasing number..