Young people and families’ experiences of Early Intervention in Psychosis services: a systematic review and thematic synthesis

Background Research on Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) services has largely focused on adult service users. There is limited understanding of how young people (YP) and their families experience engagement with EIP services.Aims To synthesise qualitative evidence on young people and family experiences of engaging with EIP services, with the aim of identifying barriers and facilitators to engagement.Methods Systematic, comprehensive searches were conducted in Academic Search Ultimate, Child Development and Adolescent Studies, CINAHL, Medline, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, and Web of Science. Eleven papers met inclusion criteria.Results Eleven sources, published between 2013 and 2024 (total N = 190 YP; M:98, F:92, NB:0, age range = 12–25), were identified for inclusion. Three overarching themes emerged: 1) Initial reluctance: YP’s hesitancy to engage with EIP; 2) Needs-led engagement: recognising benefits such as diagnosis and support; 3) Service management: how organisational factors influenced experiences of engagement.Discussion Despite barriers, such as prior hospitalisation and operational challenges, YP and families reported multiple benefits of EIP engagement, particularly valuing therapeutic relationships and gaining a clearer understanding of psychosis.