The Staging Model in Psychosis and Preventive Interventions: An Emerging Field With Debates on Conceptual Models and...

The staging model in psychiatry is heuristic and evolving, provoking debate and stimulating alternative views. This paper reviews major controversies in the field of staging and prevention of psychosis.

We review the literature on the classification model, the continuum model and the dynamic systems model applied to psychiatry. Other controversies are stigmatisation of early detection, the prevention paradox and the interpretation of data on prevention of transition to psychosis.

DSM classifications still lack validity. The continuum model supports preclinical stages but has no discrete conversions to different stages of illness. The emerging dynamic systems model builds on the interaction of symptoms eliciting networks of symptoms, while at the same time it explains sudden catastrophic shifts (transitions) between different states of equilibrium. Stigmatisation of early psychosis can be balanced against the benefits of early interventions. The prevention paradox states that only a minority of first episode cases arises from the high-risk group. However, there are many reasons to combine indicated prevention with population-based preventive interventions. A long-lasting controversy is on the interpretation of the research data. Several meta-analyses are reviewed on methodological issues.

The staging model is adequate to conceptualise psychiatric disorders and the progress over time in more chronic stages. No one is suggesting that help-seeking patients with an ARMS should be denied access to psychosocial treatment and it is recommended and necessary to continue building age and stage specific services to treat them and continue with research into risk factors and helpful interventions.