Unmet Needs and Perceived Challenges in Early Intervention for Psychosis: A Qualitative Study of Three Groups of Stakeholders

Abstract

NAVIGATE is a coordinated specialty care program for people who have experienced first-episode psychosis. The current study aims to explore the unmet needs of NAVIGATE stakeholders for the purpose of guiding the optimization of the program. Data from 24 semistructured interviews with NAVIGATE clients, family caregivers, and practitioners were conducted and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Clients expressed needs for emotional support between sessions and for peer support. Family caregivers expressed needs for guidance between sessions, better access to information, peer support, and updates regarding clients’ recovery. All stakeholders reported challenges working with the program’s manual. In addition, four general challenges related to the aftermath of a first-episode psychosis were identified. Exploring ways to better address these unmet needs may improve treatment satisfaction and outcome.