A new study published in the Community Mental Health Journal finds that mental health service users with psychosis in Norway report greater satisfaction with their care when it includes support for employment or education.
The researchers, led by Regina Skar-Fröding at Akershus University Hospital, found that programs like Individual Placement and Support (IPS), along with well-coordinated services and helpful general practitioners (GPs), were significantly associated with greater satisfaction, while standard treatments such as antipsychotic medications and cognitive therapy were not.
“Our results underscore the importance of providing integrated and well-coordinated services to promote satisfaction among service users with the services and assistance they receive,” the authors write. “This involves ensuring that each service user has a dedicated GP. Additionally, the IPS intervention is another valuable approach that extends help by specifically targeting the goal of securing regular employment, which holds significant meaning in an individual’s everyday life.”
The study suggests that people receiving care for psychosis value services that go beyond symptom management and clinical settings. Programs like IPS, which focus on helping people engage in work or study, appear to support a broader sense of agency and community participation, needs often voiced by service users but underprioritized in traditional treatment models.
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