Jessica A Jonikas, Frances Aranda, Jane K Burke-Miller, Kathryn Sabella, Michelle G Mullen, Maryann Davis, Judith A Cook
{"title":"Prevalence of chronic physical conditions and physical multimorbidity among young adults with serious mental health conditions.","authors":"Jessica A Jonikas, Frances Aranda, Jane K Burke-Miller, Kathryn Sabella, Michelle G Mullen, Maryann Davis, Judith A Cook","doi":"10.1037/prj0000637","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/prj0000637","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>There is minimal research on the prevalence of chronic medical conditions among young adults with mental health conditions. This exploratory study assessed the prevalence and number of chronic medical conditions and their association with mental health status.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional, online survey was completed in March-June 2021, by 967 U.S. young adults (age 18-25 years) with self-identified serious mental health conditions, recruited nationally via social media, email, and websites. Medical conditions were assessed using items from the National Health Interview Survey and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; mental health was assessed with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scales. Multivariable regression analysis examined associations between mental health and the six most prevalent medical conditions, as well as the number of conditions, controlling for background characteristics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We found notable prevalence of obesity (18.5%), migraines (18.2%), allergies (14.8%), asthma (9.2%), and gastrointestinal disorders (9.2%). Controlling for all other factors, high levels of anxiety were associated with greater likelihood of obesity and gastrointestinal disorders, while high levels of depression were associated with lower likelihood of obesity. While 23.2% reported two or more medical conditions, anxiety but not depressive symptoms was associated with a greater number of co-occurring medical conditions.</p><p><strong>Conclusions and implications for practice: </strong>A notable prevalence of chronic conditions puts young adults with mental health conditions at significant risk of adverse physical health outcomes from a young age. Results can inform the design of tailored health promotion and self-management programs to improve outcomes among this population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":47875,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143415836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The impact of life story work during peer worker training: Identity reconstruction, social connection, and recovery.","authors":"Rikke Amalie Agergaard Jensen, Signe Lehn Brand, Tine Holm, Mike Slade, Dorthe Kirkegaard Thomsen","doi":"10.1037/prj0000639","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/prj0000639","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Personal recovery has become a guiding vision in mental health care, and peer workers play a key role in assisting individuals on their recovery journey. As a component of training to prepare for this role, peer workers need to engage with their own life story, in order to support recovery in both them and in the service users they will assist. The purpose of the present study was to explore the impact of life story work on peer workers.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Fifteen individuals training to be peer workers were interviewed to explore the impact of telling and listening to life stories. Reflexive thematic analysis involving two analysts was conducted.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Three main themes were identified: (a) life story work as identity reconstruction, (b) social connection through life story sharing, and (c) negative impacts of engaging with life stories in peer worker training. Each theme was connected to a number of subthemes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions and implications for practice: </strong>Life story work can both facilitate personal recovery in peer workers during their training and aid them in utilizing their stories in their future peer worker roles. Training needs to prepare peer workers to deal with the future role-related challenges of life story work. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":47875,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143415837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jill R Laquidara, Katelyn Furgason, Lindsay M Banks, Sophia Saavedra, Sarah Hope Lincoln
{"title":"Perceived impacts of internalized stigma in individuals with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.","authors":"Jill R Laquidara, Katelyn Furgason, Lindsay M Banks, Sophia Saavedra, Sarah Hope Lincoln","doi":"10.1037/prj0000640","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/prj0000640","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Internalized stigma, a stigmatized view of oneself, is a prevalent issue in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs). Past evidence has suggested that internalized stigma may contribute to lower levels of functional recovery and lower engagement with mental health treatment in this population. The present study first involved a quantitative portion to check whether the current sample aligned with the literature regarding internalized stigma's links with functional recovery and treatment engagement. Then, a qualitative analysis examined participants' perceptions of whether and how their experiences with internalized stigma are related to their functional recovery and treatment engagement.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Adult participants in the United States (<i>N</i> = 29) with diagnoses of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder completed self-report quantitative measures of internalized stigma, treatment engagement, and functional recovery, and then, they answered open-ended written questions on their perspectives. Data were collected in the Years 2022-2023.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Quantitative results indicate that internalized stigma was associated with lower functional recovery and lower treatment engagement, aligning with prior findings in the literature. Qualitative analysis of written responses revealed that many but not all participants perceive internalized stigma as impacting their functioning and treatment engagement. Themes are described in detail and involve relationship issues, difficulty leaving the house, self-doubt, and decreased engagement with treatment providers.</p><p><strong>Conclusions and implications for practice: </strong>Internalized stigma is a prevalent issue with varying impacts on individuals with SSDs. This study highlights the importance of addressing internalized stigma and its consequences as a part of mental health treatment for individuals with SSDs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":47875,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143415835","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Regina Skar-Fröding, Hanne Clausen, Torleif Ruud, Jurate Šaltyte Benth, Mina Veland, Kristin S Heiervang
{"title":"The relationship between personal recovery, clinical symptoms, and psychosocial functioning over time among service users with psychosis.","authors":"Regina Skar-Fröding, Hanne Clausen, Torleif Ruud, Jurate Šaltyte Benth, Mina Veland, Kristin S Heiervang","doi":"10.1037/prj0000635","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/prj0000635","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Longitudinal investigation of associations between personal and clinical recovery is important to understand how the relationship unfolds over time. This prospective study investigated associations between personal recovery and clinical symptoms, and personal recovery and psychosocial functioning, at baseline and 18-month follow-up, among service users with psychosis.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Data were collected from 318 service users with psychosis and their clinicians from 32 clinical sites across Norway at baseline and after 18 months. Personal recovery was measured using the Questionnaire About the Process of Recovery. Linear mixed models with random intercepts for units were estimated to test the association between personal recovery and clinical symptoms, and personal recovery and psychosocial functioning.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Greater severity of symptoms and lower level of functioning were associated with lower personal recovery assessed at both baseline and follow-up. Greater severity of symptoms and lower level of functioning measured at baseline predicted lower personal recovery at follow-up. In addition, personal recovery decreased over time for those with a greater severity of symptoms but increased over time for those with a high level of functioning.</p><p><strong>Conclusions and implications for practice: </strong>Overall, this study confirms the relationship between clinical recovery and personal recovery. Both clinical symptoms and level of functioning were associated with personal recovery, indicating that both aspects are important for personal recovery. These findings suggest that it might be beneficial to support both clinical and personal recovery in the treatment of people with psychosis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":47875,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143392308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sadaaki Fukui, Jennifer Garabrant, Jaime Greenfield, Michelle P Salyers, Gary Morse, Emily Bass
{"title":"Using exit surveys to elicit turnover reasons among behavioral health employees for organizational interventions.","authors":"Sadaaki Fukui, Jennifer Garabrant, Jaime Greenfield, Michelle P Salyers, Gary Morse, Emily Bass","doi":"10.1037/prj0000638","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/prj0000638","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The present study explored turnover reasons via exit surveys for organizational interventions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The exit surveys were conducted at a community behavioral health organization for over a year, and the open-ended question responses on turnover reasons were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirty-five exit surveys were returned (58% response rate). Five major turnover themes were identified: struggles in current job roles, negative experiences with upper management and senior colleagues, quality of care concerns, no foreseeable future, and personal/family reasons.</p><p><strong>Conclusions and implications for practice: </strong>Exit surveys are a useful approach to identify turnover reasons for organizational interventions. The findings provide insights into contextualized strategies for retaining the behavioral health workforce. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":47875,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143392309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Brianna Lombardi, Danya K Krueger, Maria G Gaiser, Nelson Spence
{"title":"Retaining peers in the behavioral health workforce: Factors associated with peer recovery support specialists intent to remain or leave current position.","authors":"Brianna Lombardi, Danya K Krueger, Maria G Gaiser, Nelson Spence","doi":"10.1037/prj0000633","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/prj0000633","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Peer recovery support specialists (PRSS) are essential members of the behavioral health workforce. While factors contributing to PRSS job satisfaction and burnout have been examined, less is understood about why PRSS consider leaving or remaining in their roles. This study sought to identify personal, professional, and organizational factors related to PRSS' intentions to leave their current position.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A convenience sample of PRSS was recruited from a partnering organization's national listserv and digital newsletter. In collaboration with the same organization, we developed a survey using adaptations of validated instruments and electronically distributed it in June 2023. Bivariate analysis and hierarchical logistic regression were conducted to understand which factors may predict PRSS' intent to leave their current position.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The total sample included 454 PRSS, with 42% considering leaving their current position, of which 44% reported intent to leave within the next year. The ability to meet financial needs (<i>OR</i> = 0.58, 95% CI [0.38, 0.90]), having to complete extra tasks outside of PRSS responsibilities (<i>OR</i> = 2.91, 95% CI [1.90, 4.44]), overall job satisfaction (<i>OR</i> = 0.46, 95% CI [0.25, 0.84]), and burnout (<i>OR</i> = 1.54, 95% CI [1.00, 2.36]) significantly predicted intent to leave.</p><p><strong>Conclusions and implications for practice: </strong>PRSS reported high job satisfaction; however, burnout experiences, inability to meet financial needs, and extra work tasks beyond their role significantly impacted intent to leave. Findings underscore the need for organizational and policy-level changes to address burnout, low pay, and workload issues to better support PRSS' well-being and retain this essential behavioral health workforce. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":47875,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142819815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Matthew Turissini, Angela L Rollins, Allan Kimaina, Florence Jaguga, Julius Barasa, Lily Okeyo, Mercy Kimaiyo, Richard Matundura, Gilliane Kosgei, Naomi Kipkorir, Neal Patel, Edith Kamaru Kwobah
{"title":"Evaluating changes in recovery in people living with severe and persistent mental illness after psychiatric rehabilitation services at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya.","authors":"Matthew Turissini, Angela L Rollins, Allan Kimaina, Florence Jaguga, Julius Barasa, Lily Okeyo, Mercy Kimaiyo, Richard Matundura, Gilliane Kosgei, Naomi Kipkorir, Neal Patel, Edith Kamaru Kwobah","doi":"10.1037/prj0000634","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/prj0000634","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>People living with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) in Kenya lack access to recovery-based services. In this study, we assessed changes in recovery in people living with SPMI in Kenya 6 months after receiving services at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital Nawiri Recovery and Skills Centre (Nawiri).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective evaluation was conducted using a pretest/posttest design analyzing Nawiri care program data collected on admission and 6 months after discharge for recovery metrics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirty patients, with an average age of 33 years and of whom 57% are female, met criteria for the study, with the most common mental diagnoses being schizophrenia (60%) and bipolar mood disorder (30%); 76% of participants met the definition of extreme poverty and had a median of two psychiatric admissions in the 12 months before admission. Patients improved significantly on recovery outcomes 6 months after receiving care at Nawiri, including decreased psychiatric hospitalizations (from 1.33 to 0.07), improved rates of independence in life skills (75.9%-96.7%), improved engagement in income generating activities (23.3%-63.3%), improved food security (69.0%-96.7%), decreased days of functional impairment from symptoms (3.7 to 1.7 days in past week), decreased substance use (53.3%-13.8%), and improved engagement in outpatient mental health care (50.0%-93.3%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions and implications for practice: </strong>People living with SPMI had improved recovery 6 months after receiving residential psychiatric rehabilitation services in western Kenya. A more robust evaluation of program effectiveness and implementation is recommended to help explore generalizability and scalability to other resource limited settings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":47875,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142819741","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Participation in individual placement support: Ethnoracial differences in the supported employment demonstration.","authors":"Justin D Metcalfe, Gary R Bond, Robert E Drake","doi":"10.1037/prj0000631","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/prj0000631","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The Supported Employment Demonstration (SED), a large, multisite randomized controlled trial, provided evidence-based supported employment to help individuals recently denied Social Security disability benefits for reason of mental illness to gain competitive employment and avoid disability. Monthly, client-level measurement of participation in individual placement and support permitted the first detailed exploration of potential ethnoracial disparities in the IPS participation process, from enrollment to end of follow-along job supports, in a vulnerable population with ready access to the intervention.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Monthly participation data in a subsample of enrollees randomized to receive supported employment enabled decomposition of IPS service participation into take-up, effectiveness, and follow-along support phases, yielding times to participation duration milestones, job start, and end of follow-along supports for 614 non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic SED enrollees. Cox proportional hazards models provided differences in the monthly hazard of each event by race and ethnicity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Black non-Hispanics (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.50) and Hispanics (HR = 1.52) were both more likely than White non-Hispanics to complete consecutive 3-month periods of supported employment participation. However, ethnoracial group was not significantly associated with either increased effectiveness, measured as the monthly likelihood of finding a job during IPS participation, or likelihood of ending follow-along job supports.</p><p><strong>Conclusions and implications for practice: </strong>Potential clients' race and ethnicity are associated with a differential willingness to engage IPS services. For this reason, ethnoracial differences in IPS penetration may persist even when structural barriers to IPS access are removed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":47875,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142819766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kim T Mueser, Kristin E Davis, Jane K Burke-Miller, Stephanie Marcello, Jennifer D Gottlieb, Virginia Fraser, Lisa A Razzano
{"title":"Large-scale implementation of a brief treatment program for PTSD in persons with serious mental illness in a mental health agency: The Brief, Relaxation, Education and Trauma Healing (BREATHE) program.","authors":"Kim T Mueser, Kristin E Davis, Jane K Burke-Miller, Stephanie Marcello, Jennifer D Gottlieb, Virginia Fraser, Lisa A Razzano","doi":"10.1037/prj0000632","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/prj0000632","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>We examined the feasibility and clinical outcomes of implementing a brief intervention for treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in persons with serious mental illness receiving services at a large, urban community mental health agency. The Brief, Relaxation, Education and Trauma Healing (BREATHE) program is a standardized, three-session intervention that targets PTSD symptoms through teaching breathing retraining and personalized psychoeducation about trauma and PTSD.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A total of 60 clinicians were trained in the BREATHE intervention throughout the agency, which was offered to 233 clients who screened positive for probable PTSD. Self-report assessments of PTSD and depressive symptom severity were obtained before the first session, after the third session, and at a 3-month follow-up. Participant satisfaction was assessed in a brief survey.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 233 clients offered the BREATHE program, 211 (91%) accepted and attended at least one session. Most participants attended all three BREATHE sessions (59%) or two sessions (32%), with completers reporting high levels of satisfaction with the program. Participants showed clinically significant improvements in PTSD and depression symptoms from pretreatment to posttreatment and the 3-month follow-up.</p><p><strong>Conclusions and implications for practice: </strong>This brief intervention for PTSD was feasible to implement in a large agency serving a diverse population of persons with serious mental illness, showed high client acceptability in terms of participation and satisfaction, and was associated with significant reductions in PTSD and depressive symptoms. Further research is needed to evaluate the impact of the BREATHE program for treating PTSD in this population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":47875,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142819744","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sophia Shuster, Yunlai Gui, Alessia McGowan, Matthew Cotter, Isaac J Wert, Alexandria Selloni, Shreya Vaidya, Olivia Neu, Cansu Sarac, Melanie Formica, Kate Gwyther, Marija Krcmar, Jessica Spark, Patrick McGorry, Barnaby Nelson, Shaynna N Herrera, Cheryl M Corcoran
{"title":"Psychosis and the self: How spontaneous discussions of subjective experiences compare in the clinical high-risk and first-episode psychosis populations.","authors":"Sophia Shuster, Yunlai Gui, Alessia McGowan, Matthew Cotter, Isaac J Wert, Alexandria Selloni, Shreya Vaidya, Olivia Neu, Cansu Sarac, Melanie Formica, Kate Gwyther, Marija Krcmar, Jessica Spark, Patrick McGorry, Barnaby Nelson, Shaynna N Herrera, Cheryl M Corcoran","doi":"10.1037/prj0000629","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/prj0000629","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Prior qualitative studies show that individuals with psychoticlike experiences express difficulties concerning their identity. However, previous work has studied individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR) and individuals with first-episode psychosis (FEP) separately. Here, we compare the experiences of individuals at CHR, individuals with FEP, and healthy individuals.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Participants included 70 individuals at CHR (57% female, <i>M</i><sub>age</sub> = 19.2 ± 3.0), 50 individuals with FEP (56% female, <i>M</i><sub>age</sub> = 20.4 ± 2.9), and 70 healthy individuals (67% female, <i>M</i><sub>age</sub> = 21.1 ± 2.8). Participants completed 30-45-min open-ended interviews. Trained research staff reviewed interview transcripts and conducted an iterative thematic analysis to identify major themes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Themes related to distress, social difficulties, trauma, gratitude, and communication were spontaneously described by both individuals at CHR and individuals with FEP, with individuals at CHR describing suspiciousness more than individuals with FEP (42% vs. 22%), <i>χ</i>²(1, 120) = 4.95, <i>p</i> = .03, and individuals with FEP discussing adaptive integration of mental health struggles into their identity more than individuals at CHR (56% vs. 36%), <i>χ</i>²(1, 120) = 4.87, <i>p</i> = .03. Healthy individuals endorsed future orientation more than individuals at CHR (69% vs. 49%), <i>χ</i>²(1, 140) = 5.77, <i>p</i> = .02, and individuals with FEP (69% vs. 48%) <i>χ</i>²(1, 120) = 5.14, <i>p</i> = .02. All groups endorsed essentialist beliefs: CHR (31%), FEP (43%), and healthy controls (44%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions and implications for practice: </strong>Individuals at CHR and with FEP spontaneously discuss issues related to their identities in ways that are informed and shaped by the social milieu. The bidirectional nature of these struggles reinforces a need for integrated care through psychiatric rehabilitation, with a specific focus on identity development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":47875,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142773731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}