Towards a framework for good outcome in people at clinical high risk for psychosis: A Delphi consensus study

Outcomes in people at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHRP) have usually been defined in terms of psychosis onset. However, within the subgroup of individuals who do not develop psychosis, some have persistent symptoms; while in others, symptoms resolve and functioning is restored. Currently, little is known about what predicts a good outcome (GO) in CHR-P individuals, partly because there is no consensus on how this should be defined.

The Delphi method was used to elicit the opinions of 46 experts to reach a consensus on factors that together could define GO in the CHR-P population. Three online surveys were implemented. The panel rated each survey item according to how important they thought it was as a measure of GO. Participants also answered open-ended questions on how GO should be determined, their responses were subject to content analysis.

Ninety-eight items were endorsed by 80% of the panel as essential or important for a GO; these fell into 4 domains: Functioning; Symptoms; Distress/Suicidality; and Subjective Wellbeing. The individual item that was rated as the most important, was daily functioning. Themes emerged from the qualitative data, which corresponded to the Delphi domains, including 'functioning'; 'clinical factors; and 'user-defined outcomes'.

A GO in CHR-P subjects can be defined by using a combination of measures from domains that reflect level of functioning; symptoms; distress/suicidality; and subjective wellbeing. These results provide a basis for a standardised definition of good outcome in people at clinical high risk of psychosis.