Trial results for a study evaluating the implementation of the Horyzons digital intervention in patients with Schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2025-09-18. The terminated study, which aimed to assess barriers and enablers of integrating Horyzons into clinical care, enrolled 52 participants, primarily focusing on feedback from providers and peer support specialists.
Background
Schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorders, schizoaffective disorder, and other unspecified psychotic disorders are serious mental health conditions that often require comprehensive and ongoing care. Digital interventions, such as Horyzons, which combine therapeutic content with social networking features, represent a potential avenue for enhancing support and engagement in clinical care, particularly for individuals experiencing first-episode psychosis (FEP). Understanding the practical aspects, including barriers and enablers, of implementing such digital tools within existing clinical practice is crucial for their successful adoption and to improve patient outcomes.
Trial design
This terminated study, identified as Phase NA, enrolled 52 participants. The trial focused on individuals with Schizophrenia, Schizophreniform Disorders, Schizoaffective Disorder, and Unspecified or Other Psychotic Disorders. The primary aim was to evaluate the barriers and enablers of implementing Horyzons, a digital intervention, as part of clinical care in first-episode psychosis clinics in North Carolina. Providers (clinicians and peer support specialists) were recruited from these clinics to assess Horyzons' implementation and integration over time. No specific primary outcomes were listed in the posted results, and no interventions were explicitly detailed beyond the implementation of Horyzons itself.
Key results
The posted results include both qualitative and quantitative summaries of feedback from FEP Providers (clinicians and peer support specialists).
For "Qualitative Summaries of Provider and Peer Support Specialists (PSSs) Participant Feedback in Post-Treatment Interview," counts of participants providing feedback included 12, 10, 10, 7, 10, and 9 participants for various aspects of the qualitative assessment.
For "Quantitative Summaries of Provider and PSS Participant Experience in Post-Treatment Feedback," mean scores on a scale for FEP Providers' experience were: 3.73 (Standard Deviation: 0.43), 3.62 (Standard Deviation: 0.19), 3.83 (Standard Deviation: 0.70), 3.84 (Standard Deviation: 0.54), 4.21 (Standard Deviation: 0.48), and 4.03 (Standard Deviation: 0.48).
Key analyses reported Cohen's d values as: -0.29 (95.0% CI: -0.815 to 0.255), 0.02 (95.0% CI: -0.503 to 0.545), -0.32 (95.0% CI: -0.85 to 0.225), and 0.01 (95.0% CI: -0.85 to 0.534).
What this means
The posted results offer insights into the practical implementation of the Horyzons digital intervention within clinical settings for first-episode psychosis. The qualitative and quantitative feedback from clinicians and peer support specialists provides valuable data on their experiences, highlighting various aspects of the intervention's integration into care. The reported mean scores for provider experience, along with Cohen's d values, contribute to understanding the perceived impact and usability of Horyzons from the perspective of those delivering care. These findings can inform future strategies for deploying digital mental health tools, addressing identified barriers, and leveraging enablers to improve support for patients with schizophrenia and related disorders.
Source
The information for this condition update was sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public registry of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT06002958, titled "Horyzons: Implementation and Integration in Clinical Practice", were posted on 2025-09-18 on clinicaltrials.gov.