Behavioral interventions require considerable practice of treatment skills in between therapy sessions. The effects of these treatments may vary with the degree to which patients are able to implement these practices. In offspring of parents with bipolar and major depressive disorders, we examined whether youth who frequently practiced communication and problem-solving skills between family-focused therapy (FFT) sessions had less severe mood symptoms and better psychosocial functioning over 6 months than youth who practiced less frequently.
We randomly assigned offspring (ages 12–19) of parents with mood disorders to 12 sessions of FFT plus a mobile app that encouraged the practice of communication, problem-solving and mood management skills (FFT-MyCoachConnect [MCC] condition) or 12 sessions of FFT with an app that only allowed for tracking of symptoms and stress (FFT-Track condition). Independent evaluators assessed youths' mood and psychosocial functioning at 9-week intervals over 27 weeks. Clinicians rated participants' between-session skill practice at each FFT session.
FFT-MCC was associated with more frequent skill practice than FFT-Track over 18 weeks of treatment. Skill practice was associated with reductions in youths' mood instability and perceptions of family conflict over 27 weeks in both app conditions. Skill practice mediated the effects of app condition on youths' mood instability and family functioning.
Mobile applications as adjuncts to family therapy for youth with mood disorders can help increase skill practice. These findings provide preliminary causal evidence for behavioral skill practice improving mood symptoms and family functioning among youth with mood disorders.
This study explored the potential role of stage-related variables in intervention outcomes in bipolar disorder (BD). Specifically, we aimed to identify which subgroups of individuals were most likely to experience improved quality of life following digitally delivered psychosocial interventions for BD.
The study involved a secondary analysis of combined data from two randomised control trials (RCTs). Each trial assessed the effectiveness of digitally delivered interventions for improving quality of life, in late-stage (ORBIT RCT) or early-stage (BETTER RCT) BD. Three iterations of cluster analyses were performed, identifying subgroups of individuals based on (i) current phenomenology, (ii) course of illness and (iii) medication response. The resultant subgroups were compared with regard to changes in quality of life pre-post intervention, via repeated measures ANOVAs.
In each cluster analysis, two clusters were found. The current phenomenology clusters reflected two impairment levels, ‘moderate impairment’ and ‘low impairment’. The course of illness clusters reflected ‘more chronicity’ and ‘less chronicity’ and the medication response clusters reflected ‘good medication response’ and ‘poor medication response’. Differences in changes in quality of life over time were observed between the two current phenomenology clusters and between the medication response clusters, while the course of illness subgroups did not respond differently.
There are at least two distinct groups of treatment-seeking individuals with established BD, based on illness features with previously established links to different illness stages. Clusters within the current phenomenology and medication response domains demonstrated significantly different trajectories of QoL change over time in the context of our interventions, highlighting potential implications for treatment selection aligned with precision psychiatry.
Although there are several psychological theories on bipolar disorders (BD), the empirical evidence on these theories through experimental studies is still limited. The current study systematically reviews experimental methods used in studies on the main theories of BD: Reward Hypersensitivity Theory (RST) or Behavioral Activation System (BAS), Integrative Cognitive Model (ICM), Positive Emotion Persistence (PEP), Manic Defense theory (MD), and Mental Imagery (MI). The primary aim is to provide an overview of the used methods and to identify limitations and suggest areas of improvement.
A systematic search of six databases until October 2023 was conducted. Study selection involved two independent reviewers extracting data on experimental study design and methodology.
A total of 84 experimental studies were reviewed. BAS and RST were the most frequently studied theories. The majority of these experimental studies focus on mechanisms of reward sensitivity. Other important elements of the reviewed theories, such as goal setting and—attainment, situation selection (avoidance or approach), activation, affective/emotional reactivity, and regulatory strategies, are understudied. Self-report and neuropsychological tasks are most often used, while mood induction and physiological measures are rarely used.
There is a need for more consensus on the operationalization of psychological theories of mania. Standardization of test batteries could improve comparability among studies and foster a more systematic approach to experimental research. Research on affective (activated) states is still underrepresented in comparison with studies on trait vulnerabilities.
Bipolar disorder (BD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) are both serious psychiatric conditions that elevate the risk for harmful outcomes. Although these conditions represent distinct diagnostic entities, existing research suggests that approximately 20% of individuals with BD meet the criteria for comorbid BPD. Individuals with comorbid BD/BPD appear to have a markedly more severe and phenomenologically distinct clinical course when compared with those with BD alone. However, treatments have generally not been tested in this specific population, and currently, no formal treatment guidelines exist for this subgroup of patients.
In the current paper, we review the epidemiological and descriptive research characterizing those with comorbid BD/BPD and discuss the impact of this comorbidity on psychosocial treatment. We also review current findings on evidence-based treatments for BD and BPD that show promise in treating those with comorbid BD/BPD.
In our review of the literature, we highlight the importance of recognizing this comorbidity and discuss avenues for developing and integrating evidence-based treatment approaches for this understudied clinical population.
Although formal trials of interventions targeted to comorbid BD/BPD are limited, there is promising evidence regarding the possibility of using or integrating existing evidence-based approaches for this population. There are also several areas of clinical practice improvement and future research directions that stem from this literature.
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