The mental health recovery model is based on shared decision making, in which patients’
preferences and perceptions of the care received are taken into account. However, persons with
psychosis usually have very few opportunities to participate in this process. The present study
explores the experiences and perceptions of a group of patients with psychosis—in some cases longstanding,
in others more recently diagnosed—concerning their participation in the decisions taken
about the approach to their condition and about the attention received from healthcare professionals
and services. For this purpose, we performed a qualitative analysis of the outcomes derived from five
focus groups and six in-depth interviews (36 participants). Two major themes, with five sub-themes,
were identified: shared decision-making (drug-centred approach, negotiation process, and lack of
information) and the care environment and styles of clinical practice as determinants (aggressive
versus person-centred environments, and styles of professional practice). The main conclusions
drawn are that users want to participate more in decision making, they want to be offered a range
of psychosocial options from the outset and that their treatment should be based on accessibility,
humanity and respect. These findings are in line with the guidelines for clinical practice and should
be taken into account in the design of care programmes and the organisation of services for persons
with psychosis.
