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Background Harmful use of alcohol is highly prevalent around the world and results in a large disease burden. Most people who meet the criteria for an alcohol use disorder do not receive treatment. Those in a person’s social network can be useful in recognizing a problem and encouraging the person to seek treatment. However, many people lack the knowledge and skills to do this effectively. This study reports on the cultural adaptation for Brazil of the 2009 English-language mental health first aid guidelines for helping someone with problem drinking. Methods A Delphi expert consensus study with two expert panels, one comprising health professionals with experience in the treatment of problem drinking and the other comprising people with lived experience was conducted. Participants rated the importance of actions to be taken to help a person with problem drinking. Results Over two rounds, 60 participants (30 professionals and 30 people with lived experience) rated 197 items. A total of 166 items were included in the final guidelines. Conclusions While there were many similarities with the English-language guidelines for high-income countries, the guidelines also incorporate actions of importance for Brazil, including compulsory treatment and different approaches to dealing with people with problem drinking. Further research is necessary to assess their impact.

This study aims to analyze the relationship between the symptomatic dimensions of psychosis and functioning of individuals at risk for psychosis (ultrahigh risk [UHR]) in a non-help-seeking UHR sample from the general population. The sample is the same as the one used in the Brazilian Subclinical Symptoms and Prodromal Psychosis cohort study. We applied questionnaires of functioning (Global Assessment of Functioning Scale) and symptomatic dimensions (Scale of Prodromal Symptoms). Next, we correlated the symptomatic dimensions with functioning. We found a significant relationship between avolition and uncommon thought content with poor functioning, whereas the remaining symptoms were not as relevant. Poor functioning was most related to avolition, a negative symptom, followed by unusual thought content, a positive symptom.