title: The influence of perceived social support on medication adherence in first-episode psychosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our study examines the unique influence of social and family support on adherence to medication in a sample of patients treated for first-episode psychosis (FEP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Social and family support using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and medication adherence (consensus of subjective and objective data) were evaluated on a monthly basis during a 6-month period in a sample of 82 FEP patients. The relation between social support and adherence was evaluated using correlational and linear regression analyses, controlling for other relevant variables. A longitudinal analysis using hierarchical linear models was conducted to model change in adherence over time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Monthly correlations between social support and adherence were significant at 4 of 7 time points during a 6-month period. There was a modest correlation between the percentage of months of good adherence and the average level of family support across the study period. The linear regression failed to demonstrate a significant relation between baseline social support and overall adherence during the entire study period. Change in social support over time was inversely associated with change in adherence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study emphasizes the concurrent influence of social (mostly family) support on adherence but this effect does not persist over time. Changes in the degree of social support may have a complex effect on changes in adherence.
authors: Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec.
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Rabinovitch
authors: Clifford
authors: C
authors: Cassidy
authors: Norbert
authors: N
authors: Schmitz
authors: Ridha
authors: R
authors: Joober
authors: Ashok
authors: A
authors: Malla
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012938:Social Perception; D012944:Social Support; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents