Psychoeducation for Inpatients With First-Episode Psychosis: Results From a Survey of Psychiatry Trainees in New York City

Objective: In this study, the authors aimed to characterize psychoeducation provided to inpatients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and their families. Methods: Psychiatrists were surveyed about how they provide psychoeducation to this population. Results: In total, 60 psychiatry trainees at nine New York City hospitals responded to the survey invitation. Almost all reported that they provide psychoeducation. Most (81% for patients, 84% for families) reported that psychoeducation content and delivery method were not uniform. The most frequently used delivery method was unstructured conversation (98%), followed by handouts (25% for patients, 26% for families). Responses from a national sample (N=167) revealed similar trends. Conclusions: Most respondents provided some form of psychoeducation to hospitalized patients with FEP and their families. Few utilized a standardized method, and less than one-third incorporated supplemental materials. Inpatient psychoeducation for this population was largely informal, and patients and their families were not receiving consistent content and quality of information.