178.2 Developing Strategies to Reduce DUP in the Age of Social Media and the Internet

Abstract

Background: A critical development in recent years has been the enormous growth of the Internet and social media utilization particularly among young people. We conducted 2 exploratory projects using the internet and social media directed toward reducing DUP. Method(s): (1) We developed a questionnaire designed to document how the Internet and social media were utilized during, and in response to, the evolution of psychotic or attenuated psychotic symptoms. (2) We extracted social media linguistic data from users with psychotic disorders, mood dis-orders, and healthy controls. Result(s): (1) We interviewed 281 participants (57% male, 59% white, mean age: 21.6); (130 psychosis, 35 APS, 66 mood, and 50 HC) and 63 parents (31 psychosis, 21 APS, and 11 mood). Psychosis participants reported currently checking SM sites 7.6 times per day, spending on average 1 hour per day online and using SM for the past 7 years. Facebook is by far the most used site in all groups. 52% of psychotic participants used the internet as their primary source for gathering information as symptoms were emerging (27% APS and 19% mood). 69% of participants noticed changes in their social media habits as symptoms emerged (63% psychosis, 84% mood, and 71% APS). 51.4 % of the psychosis group reported that they would have been OK with proactive outreach via the Internet or social media as symptoms emerged. 75% reported that they would have been OK getting help/advice by a professional via the Internet or SM as symptoms emerged. (2) Our preliminary algorithm correctly distinguished individuals with psychotic disorders from those with mood disorders and healthy controls 67% of the time (chance approx 33%). Conclusion(s): Our work was designed with the goal of developing and refning research strategies utilizing the internet/social media for use in subsequent large-scale studies to signifcantly reduce DUP and improve pathways to care in the United States. The Internet and social media provide an unparalleled opportunity to supplement and potentially transform early intervention services, and acceptance of this approach appears to be high.