EARLY INTERVENTION IN PSYCHOSIS - THE CRITICAL-PERIOD HYPOTHESIS

The early phase of psychosis may be considered as a critical period th at offers major opportunities for secondary prevention of impairments and disabilities accompanying psychosis. Prospective studies of first- episode schizophrenics support the critical period hypothesis and indi cate that progression, where it occurs, does so early in the disorder, with patients reaching a relatively stable plateau within 2 years of the first psychotic episode. This suggests a window of opportunity for secondary prevention. Particular intervention strategies may be appro priate early in the disorder, such as early detection and prevention o f relapse and cognitive therapy within an acute psychotic episode to r educe early treatment resistance. (C) 1998 Rapid Science Ltd.