Social Predictors of Long-term Remission In first Episode psychosis
Poster A61, Thursday, October 20, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, Le Baron
Jone Bjornestad1, Inge Joa1,2, Tor Ketil Larsen3, Johannes Langeveld1, Larry Davidson4, Wenche ten Velden Hegelstad1, Liss Goril Anda1, Marius Veseth5, Ingrid Melle6, Jan Olav Johannessen1,2, Kolbjorn Bronnick1,2; 1Stavanger University Hospital, 2Network for Medical Sciences, University of Stavanger, 4036 Stavanger, Norway, 3Department of Clinical Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Bergen, Norway, 4Yale University, School of Medicine and Institution for Social and Policy Studies, CT 06513 New Haven, USA, 5Bergen University College, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, 5020 Bergen, Norway, 6University of Oslo, Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, 0424 Oslo, Norway
Background Identifying specific social predictors of long-term symptomatic remission is crucial to the successful tailoring of treatment in first episode psychosis. However, there is lack of studies distinguishing the predictive effects of frequency of social interaction from those of quality of interaction, nor distinguishing between friend and family interaction. This prevents a valid disentangling and evaluating of their independent effects. Aim To test specific social baseline predictors of long-term remission. We hypothesized that first, satisfaction with social relations predicts remission; second, that frequency of social interaction predicts remission; and third, that the effect of friend relationship satisfaction and frequency will be greater than that of family relations satisfaction and frequency. Methods An epidemiological sample of first episode psychosis individuals (N=186) aged 15-65 completed baseline objective and subjective measures of social functioning (Lehman´s quality of life interview), as well as clinical assessments. We compared groups of remitted and non-remitted individuals using generalized estimating equations analyses. Findings Frequency of social interaction with friends was a statistically significant positive predictor of first-episode remission over a two-year period. Neither global perceived social satisfaction nor frequency of family interaction showed significant effects. Conclusions The study findings may be of particular clinical importance because frequency of friendship interaction is a possibly malleable factor. Frequency of interaction could be affected through behavioral modification and therapy already from an early stage in the course, and thus increase remission rates.
Topic Area: First Episode Psychosis