Insights About Cannabis and Psychosis Using Video Games for Young People With a First Episode of Psychosis, Particularly Those From Black Racialized Communities: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study

Abstract

Background Cannabis use disorder among young people with a first episode of psychosis contributes to relapse, hospitalization, and impaired functioning. However, few studies have examined what young people with early phase psychosis, particularly those from Black racialized communities, understand or appreciate about this relationship, even though they may be at risk. There are no formally tested knowledge translation strategies that disseminate these research findings for young people with emerging psychosis from Black racialized communities. Objective This study aims to conceptualize what young people with early phase psychosis/cannabis use disorder understand about the relationship between cannabis and psychosis, focusing on people from racialized backgrounds. This study also aims to assess whether the knowledge translation product, the “Back to Reality Series,” increases awareness of the impact of cannabis use on psychosis from the perspectives of young people with emerging psychosis and cannabis use disorder from Black African and Caribbean communities. Methods Qualitative analysis will reveal themes from qualitative interviews about cannabis and psychosis from the perspectives of young people with emerging psychosis and cannabis use disorder from Black African and Caribbean communities. Perceptions before and after exposure to the Back to Reality Series will be qualitatively analyzed. A control game will be used for comparison, and scores on a quiz after playing the Back to Reality Series will be quantitatively analyzed to establish whether the Back to Reality Series raises awareness of the effects of cannabis on psychosis. An advisory council involving young people from Black communities, family members, and clinicians will bring community perspectives to this research. Results We began recruiting participants for this study in September 2021. We will complete data collection on demographic and clinical factors, qualitative interviews, and quantitative assessments of the Back to Reality Series. Conclusions The voices of young people from racialized backgrounds will generate preliminary data to inform early psychosis programs, addressing cannabis use in this population. The findings may advance the use of a new knowledge translation product that deals with gaps in knowledge about cannabis use for people experiencing early phase psychosis, particularly those from racialized communities. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/36758

Trajectories of Adolescent Media Use and Their Associations With Psychotic Experiences

“…Therefore, in the assessment of youth with higher PEs and higher media use, clinicians may need to consider the socio-environmental determinants of media use before drawing conclusions on its risks and benefits. The present findings may also be relevant in the context of current efforts to develop digital mental health interventions for youth, such as therapeutic video games addressing the first episode of psychosis . Given the greater uptake of video games among adolescents who eventually develop PEs, as the results suggest, it is worthwhile to consider whether leveraging video games as therapeutic tools can increase the reach and accessibility of early intervention services …”