Perspectives on personal identity in the early stages of psychosis: A survey of Canadian clinicians.

Aim: Identity‐related concerns represent an important aspect of young people's experience in early psychosis. Knowledge regarding clinicians' perspectives on this issue, however, is limited. Thus, the present study was developed to understand Canadian clinicians' perspectives on personal identity‐related concerns in early psychosis. Methods: An online survey was distributed to 331 multiprofessional clinicians working in early psychosis intervention programs in a Canadian province. Clinicians were asked about their opinions regarding the salience of identity in early psychosis using Likert‐rated items and open response questions. Results: Nearly all of the clinicians agreed that identity is an important issue for clinical attention, yet only half of the clinicians endorsed a high level of confidence in their ability to address issues related to identity in treatment. Although several clinical strategies were identified, specific evidence‐based approaches for strengthening identity in early psychosis remain lacking. Conclusions: Findings indicate a need for early psychosis programs to invest in identity‐ related training for clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]