A pilot study investigating the effect of the BEGIN psychoeducation intervention for people at clinical high risk for psychosis on emotional and stigma-related experiences

Aim: There is concern that the provision of the clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR) label is stigmatizing. Prior research suggests people have nuanced reactions to feedback involving the CHR label, including a positive experience receiving feedback and improvement in negative emotions (e.g., shame), while also exhibiting concerns about self-perception and perceptions from others related to the label. The current pilot study aimed to evaluate whether individuals at CHR showed changes in emotional and stigma-related experiences following a CHR psychoeducation intervention, BEGIN: Brief Educational Guide for Individuals in Need. Method: Participants at CHR (N = 26) identified via the Structured Interview for Psychosis-Risk Syndromes completed the Mental Health Attitudes Interview measuring symptom-related and CHR label-related stigma at pre- and post-intervention. Results: Stigma did not increase and participants had greater positive emotions (e.g., feeling hopeful and relieved), post-BEGIN. Conclusion: This study suggests that standardized CHR psychoeducation does not increase stigma in individuals at CHR.