Intervention to improve level of overall functioning and mental condition of adolescents at high risk of developing first-episode psychosis in Finland

Aim: Being at high risk of developing psychosis has been suggested to be a result of a combination of acute life stressors and trait-like vulnerability to psychosis. Reducing levels of stress could support overall functioning and mental condition in those at risk. Methods: The Jorvi Early Psychosis Recognition and Intervention (JERI) project at Helsinki University Central Hospital, Jorvi Hospital, Finland, is an early intervention team for adolescents at risk of developing first-episode psychosis. The project is based on the idea of multiprofessional, community, home, family and network-oriented, stress-reducing, overall functioning-supporting, low-threshold care. The JERI team meets multiprofessionally with adolescents in their natural surroundings, for example, at school or at home, together with their parents, network and community co-worker, who has originally contacted the JERI team because of unclear mental health problems. Subjects were assessed with the PROD-prodromal screen to identify those at risk of developing first-episode psychosis. Results: Statistically significant difference between baseline and follow-up measures was found in at risk subjects (n=28) in scales of overall functioning (P=0.000), depression (P=0.001), anxiety (P=0.001), quality of life (QOL) and pre-psychotic symptoms. Conclusions: JERI-type intervention may improve level of overall functioning and support mental condition in adolescents at risk of developing first- episode psychosis, even though further study with larger numbers of subjects, with a control group and with a longer follow-up time, is needed.