Relatedness and Connectedness Over Time: How Young People Make Sense of Their Relationships During Their Recovery from First-Episode Psychosis

Research suggests that relatedness and connectedness to others are important for recovery from mental health problems. Relationships with others may be particularly important for young people recovering from a first episode of psychosis (FEP). The current study explored young peoples’ experiences of their relationships during recovery from FEP. Eight young people were interviewed about their experiences of relationships, six of whom were interviewed twice allowing exploration of temporal aspects. The young people also created visual representations of their relational networks. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to gain an understanding of how relationships are experienced during recovery, and how they may change over time. Three superordinate themes and ten subordinate themes emerged. Superordinate themes included Relatedness and Connectedness are Vital to Recovery; Re-constructing the Self in Relation to Others; and Re-engaging in a Reciprocal Network. Temporal aspects included how relationships can thrive and wither, and relationships are re-appraised. Visual representations of networks highlight that the number of others around the young person changes over time, as does perceived relational quality. Findings foreground how psychosis and recovery take place within a relational context. Early Intervention for Psychosis services can support recovery by ensuring that they help young people to meet their relational needs.