the effectiveness of supported education and supported employment for young adults with an at risk mental state for psychosis.

Patients with an at risk mental state (ARMS) for psychosis often have problems in school and work. Work is good for physical and mental health. Unemployment has been shown to damage our health. A special intervention to support patients in maintaining their work or school might prevent them from dropping out in the first place. Secondarily it might prevent them from making a transition in to psychosis.

The addition of supported education and work will result in less early school leave and loss of job then care as usual

From 01-03-2013 till 01-09-2014 patient inclusion, from 01-03-2013 till 01-09-2015 intervention is given, from01-03-2013 till 01-03-2016 follow-up assessments take place (follow-up period is 18 months, inclusion period is also 18 months), from 01-03-2016 till 01-03-2017 analyses

Supported Education

Supported education (SEd) is defined as the provision of individualized, practical support and instruction to assist people with psychiatric disabilities to achieve their educational goals (Unger, Anthohny, Sciarappy, & Rogers, 1991; Anthony et al., 2002; Sullivan et al., 1993).



Supported employment

Supported employment (SEm)is defined as the provision of individualized, practical support and instruction to assist people with psychiatric disabilities to achieve their vocational goals (Unger, Anthohny, Sciarappy, & Rogers, 1991; Anthony et al., 2002; Sullivan et al., 1993).



SEd and SEm are particularly promising for helping students and young employees who experience their first onset of symptoms to avoid or minimize chances of academic failure and demoralization. The two aims of the intervention are the development of skills and the development of environmental support.

The choose-get-keep model
Supported Education and Supported Employment are based on the so called choose-get-keep model; described in general:



Choose: selecting an educational programme compatible with the participant’s values, skills, aptitudes, career interests, finances and learning objectives, much like diagnosis.



Get: secure enrolment in the chosen educational programme.



Keep: to sustain enrolment and maintain an acceptable level of success and satisfaction until completion/ graduation. This is clearly the intervention stage of the model, and is the most labour intensive for both the student/ young employee and the rehabilitation worker. Throughout the process, interpersonal skills such as listening, demonstrating understanding, and coaching/inspiring are used to connect and develop the relationship with the student. Although most patients already started their educational or vocational career, some of them are not satisfied with the choice they made. In the choose-get-keep model the rehabilitation workers search with the patients were to start (choos, get or keep).



The innovative character of the project concerns the ultimate target group aimed at. Whereas special services for students with physical restraints already exist at many institutions, and are often (rightfully) seen as ‘standard procedure’, similar special services for students with psychiatric disabilities are hardly available and hardly developed yet. Our primary outcome is work or school status.

By given patients this intervention we expect more patients will be participating in a regular educational program or job. The intervention will take between 6-12 months.