Treatment Preferences in Acute Psychosis: A Comparison of Patient and Staff Perspectives on Symptom Prioritization and Biopsychosocial Interventions

Patients with acute psychosis are often confronted with the prejudice that they refuse all treatment due to lack of insight. This study examined and compared the aims and preferences for treatment of patients with acute psychosis and of psychiatric inpatient staff. A total of 142 inpatients being treated for a psychotic disorder on either a locked or an open ward indicated which of a range of symptoms they want to be treated and which of various biopsychosocial treatment options they would like to receive. Staff members from the same wards reported which psychiatric symptoms they deemed relevant in the treatment of psychosis and which treatment options should be offered. Patients assigned the highest treatment need to neurocognitive symptoms, followed by affective and positive symptoms. In contrast, staff assigned the highest treatment need to positive symptoms, followed by neurocognitive and affective symptoms. Patients and staff on open wards expressed more treatment needs overall than did patients and staff on locked wards. Patients' desire for treatment differed across treatment types. In comparing patients on locked versus open wards, patients on open wards expressed higher approval of medication than patients on locked wards. Even patients with highly acute psychosis being treated on locked psychiatric wards endorsed treatment. Treatment preferences of this group deviated markedly in some instances from staffs' preferences. Considering their specific needs may contribute to increasing patient self-efficacy, and improving adherence to treatment.