[Early onset psychosis: rationale and concept of a cognitive-behavioral intervention]

Early onset psychoses (EOP, age of onset between age 14 and 18 years) are known to be associated with a poorer outcome than adult onset psychoses, both in terms of psychotic symptoms and social remission. For adult patients with psychosis, numerous cognitive-behavioral interventions have proven their effectiveness in recent years. This contrasts with a dearth of findings for EOP, even though it can be considered as a variant of adult onset psychosis. Thus, we have developed a cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention that was specifically adapted to the characteristics and needs of young people suffering from psychosis. The concept of the intervention is outlined in the present article. Acceptability and feasibility of the intervention are currently undergoing evaluation in a randomised, controlled pilot study.