Service engagement in first episode psychosis: clinical and premorbid correlates

Engagement can be understood as a multifactorial process, incorporating acceptance of treatment, therapeutic rapport, and collaboration in a shared goal of clinical and functional recovery. Difficulties in engagement with clinical services represent a risk factor for treatment discontinuation in first episode psychosis. The current study explored the associations between engagement, clinical, and preonset variables. We report the cross-sectional data on a Scottish sample with first episode psychosis, characterized in terms of psychotic symptoms, premorbid adjustment, duration of untreated psychosis, and clinician-rated engagement. Poorer clinician-rated engagement was associated with greater positive and negative symptoms, greater general psychopathology, and poorer premorbid social adjustment. In a regression analysis, only severity of negative symptoms predicted engagement. The study highlights the role of negative symptoms and impairments in social functioning as factors associated with poorer engagement with clinical services. The value of detailed assessment of social and premorbid functioning is highlighted.