Cash transfer programmes (CTPs) provide financial support to alleviate poverty and promote economic stability. The Bolsa Família Programme (BFP), a Brazilian initiative and the world’s largest CTP by number of beneficiaries, aims to improve living conditions. While poverty is closely linked to poor mental health, evidence regarding the specific effects of CTPs on young adults’ mental health remains limited, underscoring the need for further research.

To understand the meaning attributed to the BFP by young adults regarding their future aspirations and mental health, as well as perspectives from providers.

This qualitative study was conducted at the outskirts of São Paulo city, involving 12 in-depth interviews with young adults aged 18–24 years and 2 focus groups comprising 17 health and social assistance professionals.

Thematic analysis identified four themes according with interviews and focus groups: (a) perceptions about poverty (hopelessness and lack of opportunities); (b) impact of poverty on mental health (anxiety, unpredictability and hopelessness as consequences of living in poverty); (c) young adults’ needs and aspirations (job opportunities as the main expectation for a better future); and (d) BFP limitations and opportunities for improvement (BFP perceived as just one of the survival strategies but not impacting life opportunities for young adults).

The BFP was valued as essential for meeting poor families’ basic needs. Employment opportunities were central to young adults’ expectations, often causing anguish and anxiety. Expanding the BFP to include employment and income-generation policies could better support the mental health and life opportunities of vulnerable youth.

Dynamic assessment of remission achievement after first-episode psychosis (FEP) is necessary for early detection of post-psychotic depression, negative symptoms and changes in personality traits. The latter allows to decrease suicide risk and optimize treatment and social rehabilitation.

We aimed to analyze achievement of remission after FEP in youth and to define prognostic criteria for psychosis outcome.

Fifty-six patients (16-25 y.o., mean age 19,8 ±2,5 y.o.) after FEP have been receiving follow-up outpatient visits for 3 years. PANSS was applied to assess psychotic symptoms. Depressive symptoms were assessed with HAMD-21.

Remission achievement after FEP is a three-stage process. The stage of reduction and modification of psychotic symptoms is characterized by diminishing personality deterioration and decrease of leading positive symptoms. The second stage, stabilization, is defined through the presence of depressive symptoms with positive (HAMD-21 17,49 ± 7,49) and negative affectivity (HAMD-21 23,68 ± 9,24) with preponderance of emotional, volitional, and cognitive deficits as well as high suicide risk. The third stage, reintegration, is characterized by the combination of negative symptoms with preserved personality resources. There are three reintegration trajectories, with predominant affective or negative symptoms or personality deficits. Mean decrease of PANSS scores was 54,88 ± 6,17 during the overall remission. In the majority of cases (62,5%) the stage of reintegration was finished with the achievement of high-quality remission, coinciding with international remission criteria. The study was supported by RFBR grant 18-013-01214

Our approach to remission assessment allowed us to decrease suicide risk and to provide optimal treatment.

No significant relationships.