Mathilde Søndergaard Madsen received her medical degree from the University of Copenhagen in 2017. Since finishing basic clinical training in urology and general medicine, Mathilde has been employed at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Center, Capital Region (CAMHC). First as a clinician, then as a research assistant, and since 2023 as a PhD fellow in the research unit of CAMHC on the OPUS YOUNG trial.
Mathilde is enrolled at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, and is co-affiliated with Section for Biostatistics and Evidence-Based Research at the Parker Institute, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen. The section is dedicated to conducting meaningful and methodologically rigorous studies that address answerable clinical questions, with the aim of producing trust-worthy evidence to support patient-centered decision-making.
Severe mental illness is increasing among children and adolescents. Early onset psychosis (EOP) means psychotic illness diagnosed before the age of 18 years. EOP is a grave illness, often with serious conse-quences for the affected person, their family, and society. In Denmark, young adults aged 18-45 years with first episode psychoses are offered a two-year intensive early intervention service (EIS), the OPUS interven-tion, with a well-documented effect. The aim of the OPUS YOUNG trial is to examine if a two-year intensive EIS adapted to the needs of children and adolescents aged 12 to 17 years is superior to the current treatment as usual. The trial is designed as a randomized controlled trial (RCT) including 290 participants with EOP and is the first RCT in the field examining EIS for psychosis in this age group. The purpose of the project is to help improve treatment and secondary prevention of EOP and thereby improve function and health for this group of patients.
When it comes to the clinical care of severe mental illness, thoroughness, patience, and a 360-degree view on mental health are essential. A young person in the years of development, suffering from mental illness, is a moving target for treatment and cooperation. Besides this very important and interesting field of research, Mathilde is also driven by the direct work with the patients and their families and the trust they show by participating in the project. A good continuous educational environment is important, which is why Mathilde spends part of her time supervising and teaching medical students and colleagues both in psychopathology, assessments, and research assignments.
Evidence-based psychiatry: Section for Biostatistics and Evidence-Based Research promotes evi-dence-based psychiatry in the form of applying EBM principles to the field of psychiatry. Consequently, it involves the systematic integration of the best available research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient values to inform decisions about the care of individuals with mental health disorders. Mathilde’s PhD project address-es the benefits and harms of the OPUS YOUNG intervention, with special focus on level of social functioning, core symptoms of psychosis, and client satisfaction. The outcomes are assessed at baseline, after one year, and at the end of treatment, which is after two years. Statistical analysis of the results will be supervised and han-dled in collaboration with Section for Biostatistics and Evidence-Based Research at the Parker Institute