Prevalence and correlates of school drop-out prior to initial treatment of nonaffective psychosis: further evidence suggesting a need for supported education.

Background: Because dropping out of high school (i.e., secondary education) contributes prominently to numerous social, economic, and health conditions, formal public health initiatives promoting population health and social justice, especially in at-risk populations, are increasingly encouraged to address high school drop-out. The relative dearth of research attention on school drop-out prior to first treatment contact in young adults with psychotic disorders indicates a need for investigation of the associations between school drop-out and illness-related variables so that interventions may be tailored appropriately to this unique population.

Methods: This study provides a descriptive characterization of the prevalence and correlates of high school drop-out in a sample of 109 patients hospitalized for the evaluation and treatment of a first episode of nonaffective psychosis.

Results: Findings from this urban, socially disadvantaged, predominantly African American sample indicate that school drop-out is a marker of diverse detrimental social problems in first-episode psychosis, and that further research is required to fully characterize the most appropriate interventions for such individuals.

Conclusions: Future research might seek to intervene through an integrated treatment approach that incorporates supported education, symptom reduction and management, and comorbid substance use treatment in first-episode patients.