Third-wave strategies for emotion regulation in early psychosis: a pilot study.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to examine the acceptability, feasibility, and potential clinical utility of a new emotional regulation treatment combining compassion, acceptance, and mindfulness (CAM) for individuals with early psychosis.
Results Summary
The intervention was found acceptable and feasible, with significant improvements in emotional self-regulation and reductions in anxiety, depression, and somatic concerns, but no significant changes in mindfulness, insight, distress, or social functioning.
Population
Individuals with early psychosis (outpatients from the First Psychotic Episode Clinic in Montreal).
Effective Dosage
8 weekly group sessions of 60-75 minutes each.
Duration
8 weeks (with 3-month follow-up).
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
compassion, acceptance, and mindfulness (CAM) therapy | increase | emotional self-regulation | individuals with early psychosis | large | associated with a large increase | #1 |
compassion, acceptance, and mindfulness (CAM) therapy | decrease | psychological symptoms | individuals with early psychosis | - | a decrease | #2 |
compassion, acceptance, and mindfulness (CAM) therapy | decrease | anxiety | individuals with early psychosis | - | a decrease | #3 |
compassion, acceptance, and mindfulness (CAM) therapy | decrease | depression | individuals with early psychosis | - | a decrease | #4 |
compassion, acceptance, and mindfulness (CAM) therapy | decrease | somatic concerns | individuals with early psychosis | - | a decrease | #5 |
compassion, acceptance, and mindfulness (CAM) therapy | increase | self-care | individuals with early psychosis | - | improvements | #6 |
compassion, acceptance, and mindfulness (CAM) therapy | increase | emotional self-regulation | individuals with early psychosis | significant | A significant increase | #7 |
compassion, acceptance, and mindfulness (CAM) therapy | decrease | affective symptoms | individuals with early psychosis | - | a decrease | #8 |
compassion, acceptance, and mindfulness (CAM) therapy | no change | mindfulness | individuals with early psychosis | no significant | No significant changes | #9 |
compassion, acceptance, and mindfulness (CAM) therapy | no change | insight | individuals with early psychosis | no significant | No significant changes | #10 |
compassion, acceptance, and mindfulness (CAM) therapy | no change | distress | individuals with early psychosis | no significant | No significant changes | #11 |
compassion, acceptance, and mindfulness (CAM) therapy | no change | social functioning | individuals with early psychosis | no significant | No significant changes | #12 |
AIM: Emerging evidence supports the priority of integrating emotion regulation strategies in cognitive behaviour therapy for early psychosis, which is a period of intense distress. Therefore, we developed a new treatment for emotional regulation combining third-wave strategies, namely compassion, acceptance, and mindfulness (CAM) for individuals with early psychosis. The purpose of this study was to examine the acceptability, feasibility and potential clinical utility of CAM. METHOD: A non-randomized, non-controlled prospective follow-up study was conducted. Outpatients from the First Psychotic Episode Clinic in Montreal were offered CAM, which consisted of 8-week 60-75 min weekly group sessions. Measures of adherence to medication, symptoms, emotional regulation, distress, insight, social functioning and mindfulness were administered at baseline, post-treatment and at 3-month follow up. A short feedback interview was also conducted after the treatment. RESULTS: Of the 17 individuals who started CAM, 12 (70.6%) completed the therapy. Average class attendance was 77%. Post-treatment feedback indicated that participants found the intervention acceptable and helpful. Quantitative results suggest the intervention was feasible and associated with a large increase in emotional self-regulation, a decrease in psychological symptoms, especially anxiety, depression, and somatic concerns, and improvements in self-care. CONCLUSION: Overall results support the acceptability, feasibility and potential clinical utility of the new developed treatment. A significant increase in emotional self-regulation and a decrease in affective symptoms were found. No significant changes were observed on measures of mindfulness, insight, distress and social functioning. Controlled research is warranted to validate the effectiveness of the new treatment.