Qualitative exploration of recovery following first episode psychosis: a grounded theory approach & Clinical research portfolio

Specialist Early Intervention (E.I.) services are becoming increasingly accepted as the most effective way of working with people experiencing first episode psychosis. Although there have been a wealth of studies looking at the clinical outcomes of E.I. services, there remains relatively little research on the subjective experiences of recovery following a first episode of psychosis (FEP). This study explored the individual’s experiences of recovery following a first episode of psychosis, in the context of a specialist E. I. Service. Grounded Theory methodology was employed to explore the individual experiences of people involved with an E.I. service. A total of 9 individuals selected from a group of E.I. service users approaching the end of their care were interviewed. Data from the transcribed interviews were analysed using Grounded Theory methodology, where themes emerged from the coding process. The study identified 7 key themes: Build Up of experiences, Awareness, Acceptance, Shame, Family and Friends, Loss and Re-building. Themes were often expressed as continuums and all appeared to overlap. This study provided an initial understanding of the predominant experiences of recovery following FEP for E.I. service-users. Future research might consider the experiences of those in other service settings