Post-Secondary Students with Symptoms of Psychosis: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis was to synthesize evidence on symptoms of psychosis in post-secondary students, including participant characteristics, prevalence, risk factors, interventions, and reported experiences. The design was a mixed-methods systematic review, modeled on the Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA guidelines, with all standard systematic review procedures followed. A search in nine databases yielded 26 (published between 2006 and 2018) articles for inclusion. Data were analyzed according to objectives and reported using synthesis tables and narrative summaries. Average age of participants was 21 years and most identified as female and Caucasian. Prevalence of psychosis across the included studies was inconclusive. Risk factors associated with symptoms of psychosis included substance use, depression, and younger age. There were five interventions with mixed results and three studies about experiences. While five promising interventions exist, inadequate testing and replication limits confidence in their effectiveness. There is a notable deficit in qualitative evidence exploring the experiences of students with symptoms of psychosis.