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PAPERS:
LEONIE BOEING, VAL MURRAY, ANTHONY PELOSI, ROBERT McCABE, DOUGLAS BLACKWOOD, and ROBERT WRATE
Adolescent-onset psychosis: prevalence, needs and service provision
The British Journal of Psychiatry 2007; 190: 18-26 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]
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[Read eLetter] A healthy transition to adulthood
Sangeetha Chinnadurai   (6 February 2007)

A healthy transition to adulthood 6 February 2007
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Sangeetha Chinnadurai,
Senior House Officer in Psychiatry, Leighton Hospital

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Re: A healthy transition to adulthood

csangeeth{at}yahoo.co.uk Sangeetha Chinnadurai

I read with great interest the authors’ work on adolescent onset psychosis and their needs assessment.

Adolescent onset psychosis though a rare event can have a huge impact on the individuals and the families quality of life. The follow up studies of childhood and adolescent onset psychotic disorders has showed that it has been associated with poor outcome during adulthood with social relationships and independent living, atleast in schizophrenia (Chris Hollis, 2000; P. Cawthron, 1994). Being a group with low adherence to treatment, assertive treatment is a valuable option to increase the quality of life of the individual in the longterm by providing appropriate care.

Adolescence is a critical period of emotional, cognitive and educational development and physical and mental wellbeing is essential for an effective transition from childhood to adulthood. Assertiveness and early intervention in psychosis has already been proved to have better outcome in multiple realms of functioning and adherence of patients’ with psychotic disorders (P. Jørgensen, 2000). Extrapolation of adult literature to adolescent population has been used in various degrees to treat several physical and mental health disorders over the years. The current study has given us an insight on the needs of this population which when adequately addressed by developmentally appropriate services at an earlier stage can reduce its negative impact during the later years. I am hopeful that the policies and service planning to address these issues can have a potential to decrease the economic burden by making an impression in the lives of these people in the earlier years.

References: Chris Hollis, Ph.D., M.R.C.Psych.Adult Outcomes of Child- and Adolescent- Onset Schizophrenia: Diagnostic Stability and Predictive Validity. Am J Psychiatry 157:1652-1659, October 2000

P. Cawthron, A. James, J. Dell, V. Seagroatt (1994) Adolescent Onset Psychosis. A Clinical and Outcome Study Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 35 (7), 1321–1332

P. Jørgensen, M. Nordentoft, M. B. Abel, G. Gouliaev, P. Jeppesen, P. Kassow. Early detection and assertive community treatment of young psychotics: the Opus Study, Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric epidemiology.Vol 35/ No.7/Aug 2000