title: Transitions to adulthood in first-episode psychosis: a comparative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The first aim of this study is to compare attainment of five markers of transition to adulthood between young adults with first-episode psychosis and young adults without any psychopathology. The second aim is to examine if the association between age group and transition to adulthood is similar for individuals who experience first-episode psychosis versus those who do not.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 50 young adults with first-episode schizophrenia aged between 18 and 30 years old, and 50 volunteers without any psychopathology matched for sex and age. Participants were assessed with the Quality of Life Scale and a questionnaire on markers of transition to adulthood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences appear between the groups for three of the five markers of transition to adulthood, namely: residential/financial independence, educational attainment and involvement in a romantic relationship. The effect of age on several markers is significant for the comparison group only.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rehabilitation interventions should be informed by a developmental perspective on community functioning for young adults with first-episode schizophrenia. Vocational rehabilitation should be extended to focus more extensively on supported education and not only on supported employment, and interventions targeting residential independence should be granted more attention.
authors: School of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. laurence.roy@umontreal.ca
authors: Laurence
authors: L
authors: Roy
authors: Jacqueline
authors: J
authors: Rousseau
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Fortier
authors: Jean-Pierre
authors: JP
authors: Mottard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006798:Housing; D006803:Human Development; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology