Examining the Relationship between Duration of Untreated Psychosis and Self-Perceived Recovery in Clients of an Early Intervention Program in London, Canada: A 10-Year Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Background: The duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) is negatively associated with objective recovery among people with first-episode psychosis (FEP). However, the association between DUP and subjective recovery is not known. Objectives: To investigate whether DUP is statistically associated with self-perceived recovery scores (subjective recovery) and occupational activity (objective recovery) 10-years after the first episode of psychosis. Methods: A cohort of 65 clients from an early intervention program completed a battery of outcome measures 10-years following initial treatment for FEP (March 1997 to February 2002). Multiple linear or logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the association between DUP and both measures of recovery, adjusting for potential confounding factors. Results: We did not find a statistically significant association between between DUP and either weeks of occupational activity (OR = 1.26, 95%CI: 0.81 to 1.95) or self-perceived recovery score (ß = -0.73, 95%CI: -2.42 to 0.97), adjusting for 10-year confounding factors. However, we found a negative association between negative symptoms at 10-year follow-up and occupational activity (OR = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.57 to 0.84), as well a positive association between perceived social support score at 10-year follow-up and self-perceived recovery score (ß = 0.94, 95%CI: 0.45 to 1.42), adjusting for 10-year confounding factors. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that factors other than DUP have an impact on objective and subjective recovery at 10-year follow-up. Further research examining factors associated with self-perceived recovery after a first episode of psychosis is warranted