Service Engagement in First-Episode Psychosis: Current Issues and Future Directions

Abstract

It has been reported that up to 50% of patients receiving mental health services disengage from treatment, with adolescents and young adults being particularly at high risk. Even in the context of specialized services in youth mental health, such as early intervention programs for psychosis, disengagement rates remain high. There is a need for extensive and innovative efforts to address the issue of service disengagement in first-episode psychosis (FEP). A multi-dimensional understanding of the phenomenon of engagement can help to inform the development of strategies to address this important clinical issue. In our paper, we propose a conceptual framework for understanding service engagement, provide an overview of the issues pertaining to service engagement in FEP, and suggest future directions for research and practice.