Self-determination and first-episode psychosis: Associations with symptomatology, social and vocational functioning, and quality of life

Self-determination theory (SDT) postulates that satisfaction of three basic psychological needs (i.e., autonomy, competence, and well-being) promotes motivation, well-being, and growth across domains of functioning. Thus, per SDT, we examined satisfaction of basic psychological needs among individuals with first-episode psychosis. First, we quantified the level of need satisfaction among a sample of individuals with first-episode psychosis and compared their level of need satisfaction to that of individuals without psychosis. Second, we examined the association between need satisfaction and several domains of well-being among individuals with first-episode psychosis (i.e., symptomatology, social/vocational functioning, and quality of life). Our results indicated that individuals with first-episode psychosis experience less satisfaction of basic psychological needs as compared to their same-aged counterparts. There was a modest association between need satisfaction and well-being among individuals with first-episode, with the need of relatedness being the need most frequently associated with indices of well-being. Although modest in scope, the results of the current study raise the possibility that further investigation of SDT among individuals with first-episode psychosis may reveal important strategies through which early intervention services can better promote well-being and recovery.