The Danish National Schizophrenia Project: prospective, comparative longitudinal treatment study of first-episode psychosis.
BACKGROUND
First-episode psychosis intervention may improve the course and outcome of schizophrenic disorders.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the Danish National Schizophrenia Project and to measure the outcome of two different forms of intervention after 1 year, compared with standard treatment.


METHODS
A prospective, prospective, longitudinal, multicentre investigation included 562 patients, consecutively referred over a 2-year period, with a first episode of psychosis. Patients were allocated to supportive psychodynamic psychotherapy as a supplement to treatment as usual, an integrated, assertive, psychosocial and educational treatment programme or treatment as usual.


RESULTS
There was a non-significant tendency towards greater improvement in social functioning in the integrated treatment group and the supportive psychodynamic psychotherapy group compared with the treatment as usual group. Significance was reached for some measures when the confounding effect of drug and alcohol misuse was included.


CONCLUSIONS
Integrated treatment and supportive psychodynamic psychotherapy in addition to treatment as usual may improve outcome after 1 year of treatment for people with first-episode psychosis, compared with treatment as usual alone.
Rosenbaum
Bent
B
Centre of Psychiatry Glostrup, Unit for Psychotherapy, Education and Research, University of Copenhagen, Ndr.Ringvej, DK-2600 Glostrup, Denmark. bros@glostruphosp.kbhamt.dk
Valbak
Kristian
K
Harder
Susanne
S
Knudsen
Per
P
Køster
Anne
A
Lajer
Matilde
M
Lindhardt
Anne
A
Winther
Gerda
G
Petersen
Lone
L
Jørgensen
Per
P
Nordentoft
Merete
M
Andreasen
Anne Helms
AH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents