Exploring the Implementation of Cognitive Screening in First-Episode Psychosis Settings: The CogScreen Implementation...

Accurate and appropriate cognitive screening can significantly enhance early psychosis care, yet no screening tools have been validated for the early psychosis population and little is known about current screening practices, experiences, or factors that may influence implementation. CogScreen is a hybrid type 1 study aiming to validate two promising screening tools with young people with first episode psychosis (primary aim) and to understand the context for implementing cognitive screening in early psychosis settings (secondary aim). This protocol outlines the implementation study, which aims to explore the current practices, acceptability, feasibility and determinants of cognitive screening in early psychosis settings from the perspective of key stakeholders.

Young people with first episode psychosis (n = 350), caregivers (minimum n = 10) and service providers (minimum n = 12) will be recruited from primary and specialist early psychosis services in Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney, Australia. Two implementation science frameworks will inform data collection and analysis: the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. A mixed-methods design will be employed to collect and analyse data from questionnaires with young people, interviews with all stakeholder groups, and administrative processes. Quantitative data will be analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data will be analysed through content analysis using deductive and inductive coding.

This protocol paper presents the rationale and methods for the CogScreen implementation study.

Together with accuracy findings, results from the implementation study will provide insights about the practices, experiences, enablers and barriers to cognitive screening in early psychosis services.