Promoting wellness in young people with schizophrenia

Schizophrenia can have devastating effects on affected young people and families. However, with increasing international attention being given to focusing on early intervention in psychiatry this has necessitated a change of perspective from regarding schizophrenia as an, almost, inevitably chronic illness to one where the young person can recover. Against this changing background, this qualitative study aimed to ascertain how community mental health nurses promoted wellness to enable young people experiencing an early episode of schizophrenia to get better and lead fulfilling lives. The findings showed that there were three interrelated phases to the promotion of wellness. The first phase, Engaging, relates to the interpersonal processes that nurses used to initiate and maintain contact with the young people and their families. The second phase, Advancing Self-determination, portrays how they sought to preserve, enhance and promote the young person’s self-control and decision making. The final phase, Interacting with Others, shows how nurses collaborated with other agencies and health professionals to enhance indirectly the young person’s transition to wellness.