title: A randomized controlled trial of relapse prevention therapy for first-episode psychosis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients with first-episode psychosis are responsive to acute-phase treatments, but relapse rates are high. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a psychosocial treatment designed to prevent the second episode of psychosis compared with standardized early psychosis care.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomized controlled trial, conducted at the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre and Barwon Health, Australia, a multimodal individual and family cognitive-behavioral therapy for relapse prevention was compared with standardized case management within a specialist early psychosis service. Patients aged 15 to 25 years with a first episode of a DSM-IV psychotic disorder were recruited between November 2003 and May 2005. The main outcome measures were the number of relapses and time to first relapse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-one first-episode psychosis patients were randomly assigned to the relapse prevention therapy (RPT) and 40 to standardized case management. At the 7-month follow up, the relapse rate was significantly lower in the therapy condition compared to treatment as usual (p = .042) and time to relapse was significantly longer for the RPT condition (p = .03). The number needed to treat was 6 over 7 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interim findings suggest that RPT provided within a specialist early psychosis program was effective in reducing relapse in early psychosis when compared with standardized early psychosis case management.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  www.anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12605000514606.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, ORYGEN Youth Health Research Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia. jgleeson@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: John F M
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gleeson
authors.forename: Sue M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cotton
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Jimenez
authors.forename: Darryl
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wade
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gee
authors.forename: Kingsley
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Crisp
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spiliotacopoulos
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Castle
authors.forename: Patrick D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: McGorry