Usability and Feasibility of the Antipsychotic Medication Decision Aid in a Community Program for First-Episode Psychosis.

OBJECTIVE

Although antipsychotic medications are considered first-line treatment for psychosis, rates of discontinuation and nonadherence are high, and debate persists about their use. This pilot study aimed to explore the usability, feasibility, and potential impact of a shared decision making (SDM) intervention, the Antipsychotic Medication Decision Aid (APM-DA), for decisions about use of antipsychotic medications.

METHODS

A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted with 17 participants in a first-episode psychosis program. Nine participants received the APM-DA, and eight received usual care.

RESULTS

After their appointments, intervention group participants had less decisional conflict and greater satisfaction with decisions than control group participants had. Use of the APM-DA did not increase appointment length. Comparison of the intervention outcomes with the control outcomes was limited because of the small sample.

CONCLUSIONS

The results support the feasibility and usability of an SDM process via the use of the APM-DA in routine community psychosis care.