Aim The Recovery Assessment Scale‐Domains and Stages (RAS‐DS) is a self‐rated measure of mental health recovery. While this instrument has demonstrated good measurement properties and acceptability to clinicians and consumers in adult mental health services, it has not been evaluated in the context of youth‐focused mental health services. This study was established to evaluate the measurement properties, feasibility and acceptability of the RAS‐DS in a youth mental health service context. Methods Young people accessing a youth mental health service were invited to complete the RAS‐DS and both young people and clinicians provided feedback about its usefulness. Analyses of the measurement properties of the RAS‐DS were completed using Rasch analysis. Usability feedback was analysed using descriptive statistics and constant comparative analysis. Results Fifty‐eight consumer‐clinician dyads participated. Analyses revealed that items on the RAS‐DS generally demonstrated good fit with the expectations of the Rasch model and clinician and consumer feedback was generally positive. Ninety‐one percent of young people completed the RAS‐DS in less than 15 minutes. Thirty‐four percent of young people had measure scores above the level of the “hardest” item on the RAS‐DS, suggesting that measurement precision is lower for individuals at more advanced stages of recovery. Conclusions This study demonstrates that the RAS‐DS has acceptable measurement properties and was acceptable to young people and clinicians. Future research should explore the use of the RAS‐DS by young people in other contexts as well as explore whether additional items could be added to capture the later stages of recovery for young people.
Despite the National Mental Health Plan emphasis, and extensive and expensive support for routine data collection in public mental health services, such data collection has been unsuccessful. We discuss possible reasons for this.
IntroductionCognitive impairments are a common and significant issue for young people with a severe mental illness. Young people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression all experience significant cognitive problems that impede their ability to return to work or study. These neurocognitive problems are frequently exacerbated by social cognitive deficits that interfere with their ability to integrate into the community and understand the social and emotional nuances about them. This study aimed to assess if the addition of a social cognitive remediation treatment to a neurocognitive remediation therapy improved functional outcome.MethodsFive youth mental health services were trained in both the Neuropsychological Educational Approach to Remediation (NEAR) and the Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) treatments. Participants were randomised between receiving either NEAR + SCIT or NEAR + treatment as usual (TAU) over a 20-week period, with all participants receiving the NEAR treatment first. Symptoms, neurocognition, social cognition and functioning were examined at baseline, end of treatment and at 3 months follow-up and compared between the two arms of the study. The primary outcome was function.ResultsThirty-nine participants were randomised to treatment (Schizophrenia spectrum = 28, Bipolar disorder = 7, Major Depression = 2). The trial was curtailed by Covid-related service restrictions. There was an overall significant improvement in function over time with a trend towards a greater improvement in the NEAR + SCIT arm. No changes in symptoms, neurocognitive or social cognitive measures were seen. While 74% completed treatment only 49% agreed to follow up at 3 months affecting our ability to interpret the findings. Attrition did not differ by arm.ConclusionsIn a pragmatic, service-based research project, treatment aimed at improving cognition enhanced functional outcome in young people with a range of severe mental illnesses. There was a trend towards improved function in young people who had a combined NEAR + SCIT approach.Clinical Trial RegistrationIdentifier: ACTRN12622000192785.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.