This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on ISI (141)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Randomized Controlled Trial  • Patient Education/ Health Literacy  • Bipolar Disorder  • Alert me on articles by topic

Francesco Colom, PhD; Eduard Vieta, MD, PhD; Anabel Martínez-Arán, PhD; María Reinares; José Manuel Goikolea; Antonio Benabarre, MD; Carla Torrent; Mercè Comes; Barbara Corbella; Gemma Parramon; Josep Corominas, MD, PhD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2003;60:402-407.

Background  Studies on individual psychotherapy indicate that some interventions may reduce the number of recurrences in bipolar patients. However, there has been a lack of structured, well-designed, blinded, controlled studies demonstrating the efficacy of group psychoeducation to prevent recurrences in patients with bipolar I and II disorder.

Methods  One hundred twenty bipolar I and II outpatients in remission (Young Mania Rating Scale score <6, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale–17 score <8) for at least 6 months prior to inclusion in the study, who were receiving standard pharmacologic treatment, were included in a controlled trial. Subjects were matched for age and sex and randomized to receive, in addition to standard psychiatric care, 21 sessions of group psychoeducation or 21 sessions of nonstructured group meetings. Subjects were assessed monthly during the 21-week treatment period and throughout the 2-year follow-up.

Results  Group psychoeducation significantly reduced the number of relapsed patients and the number of recurrences per patient, and increased the time to depressive, manic, hypomanic, and mixed recurrences. The number and length of hospitalizations per patient were also lower in patients who received psychoeducation.

Conclusion  Group psychoeducation is an efficacious intervention to prevent recurrence in pharmacologically treated patients with bipolar I and II disorder.

From the Bipolar Disorders Program, Institut d'Investigacions Biomédiques August Pi Sunyer-IDIBAPS (Drs Colom, Vieta, and Martínez-Arán, and Mss Reinares, Torrent, and Comes); the Barcelona Stanley Research Center (Drs Colom, Martínez-Arán, Vieta, Benabarre, and Goikolea, and Mss Reinares, Torrent, Comes, Corbella, and Parramon); the Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona (Drs Vieta, Benabarre, Corominas, and Goikolea, and Mss Corbella and Parramon), Barcelona, Spain.

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Sleep Disturbance in Bipolar Disorder: Therapeutic Implications
Plante and Winkelman
Am. J. Psychiatry 2008;165:830-843.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Improving Treatment Adherence in Bipolar Disorder: A Review of Current Psychosocial Treatment Efficacy and Recommendations for Future Treatment Development
Gaudiano et al.
Behav Modif 2008;32:267-301.
ABSTRACT  

Psychosocial interventions for the prevention of relapse in bipolar disorder: systematic review of controlled trials
Beynon et al.
Br. J. Psychiatry 2008;192:5-11.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Lithium in mood disorders: increasing evidence base, declining use?
Young and Hammond
Br. J. Psychiatry 2007;191:474-476.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Psychosocial Treatments for Bipolar Depression: A 1-Year Randomized Trial From the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program
Miklowitz et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 2007;64:419-426.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Guideline Watch (November 2005): Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Bipolar Disorder, 2nd Edition
Hirschfeld
Focus 2007;5:34-39.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Bibliography BIPOLAR DISORDER
Focus 2007;5:40-43.
FULL TEXT  

Abstracts FOR BIPOLAR DISORDER
Focus 2007;5:44-58.
FULL TEXT  

Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Disorder
Gitlin
Focus 2007;5:49-63.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Severe and Recurrent Bipolar Disorders: Randomised Controlled Trial
Scott et al.
Focus 2007;5:64-72.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A Randomized Trial of Integrated Group Therapy Versus Group Drug Counseling for Patients With Bipolar Disorder and Substance Dependence
Weiss et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2007;164:100-107.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Feeling and Time: The Phenomenology of Mood Disorders, Depressive Realism, and Existential Psychotherapy
Ghaemi
Schizophr Bull 2007;33:122-130.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Cognitive behavioural therapy does not reduce overall episode recurrence in people with recurrent bipolar disorder.
Lam
Evid. Based Ment. Health 2006;9:99-99.
FULL TEXT  

Predictors of Recurrence in Bipolar Disorder: Primary Outcomes From the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD)
Perlis et al.
Focus 2006;4:553.
FULL TEXT  

Collaborative Care for Bipolar Disorder: Part I. Intervention and Implementation in a Randomized Effectiveness Trial
Bauer et al.
Psychiatr. Serv. 2006;57:927-936.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Collaborative Care for Bipolar Disorder: Part II. Impact on Clinical Outcome, Function, and Costs
Bauer et al.
Psychiatr. Serv. 2006;57:937-945.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Psychotherapy, Symptom Outcomes, and Role Functioning Over One Year Among Patients With Bipolar Disorder
Miklowitz et al.
Psychiatr. Serv. 2006;57:959-965.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Importance of Routine for Preventing Recurrence in Bipolar Disorder
Frank et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2006;163:981-985.
FULL TEXT  

Long-term Effectiveness and Cost of a Systematic Care Program for Bipolar Disorder.
Simon et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 2006;63:500-508.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Combined Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy for Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Adults: Review and Analysis
Otto et al.
Focus 2006;4:204.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Cognitive-behavioural therapy for severe and recurrent bipolar disorders: Randomised controlled trial
SCOTT et al.
Br. J. Psychiatry 2006;188:313-320.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

What can we conclude from studies on psychotherapy in bipolar disorder?: Invited commentary on.. .Cognitive-behavioural therapy for severe and recurrent bipolar disorders
LAM
Br. J. Psychiatry 2006;188:321-322.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Psychotherapy for bipolar disorders - efficacy and effectiveness.
Scott
J Psychopharmacol 2006;20:46-50.
ABSTRACT  

Managing the aftermath of mania - Newcastle, 2 September 2005: Consensus Meeting Statement.
Young et al.
J Psychopharmacol 2006;20:51-54.
 

Predictors of Recurrence in Bipolar Disorder: Primary Outcomes From the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD)
Perlis et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2006;163:217-224.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Risk and Resilience Markers in Bipolar Disorder: Brain Responses to Emotional Challenge in Bipolar Patients and Their Healthy Siblings
Kruger et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2006;163:257-264.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Self-Reported Medication Treatment Adherence Among Veterans With Bipolar Disorder
Sajatovic et al.
Psychiatr. Serv. 2006;57:56-62.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Cost-effectiveness of clinical interventions for reducing the global burden of bipolar disorder
Chisholm et al.
Br. J. Psychiatry 2005;187:559-567.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Adding cognitive therapy to minimal psychiatric care prevents short term, but not long term, relapse in people with bipolar disorder
Lau
Evid. Based Ment. Health 2005;8:102-102.
FULL TEXT  

Two-Year Outcomes for Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy in Individuals With Bipolar I Disorder
Frank et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 2005;62:996-1004.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Relapse Prevention in Patients With Bipolar Disorder: Cognitive Therapy Outcome After 2 Years
Lam et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2005;162:324-329.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Family focused therapy is more effective than crisis management for preventing relapse after a bipolar episode
Zaretsky
Evid. Based Ment. Health 2004;7:49-49.
FULL TEXT  

Enhancement of Treatment Adherence Among Patients With Bipolar Disorder
Sajatovic et al.
Psychiatr. Serv. 2004;55:264-269.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Cognitive Function Across Manic or Hypomanic, Depressed, and Euthymic States in Bipolar Disorder
Martinez-Aran et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2004;161:262-270.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The early warning symptom intervention for patients with bipolar affective disorder
Morriss
Adv. Psychiatr. Treat. 2004;10:18-26.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Group psychoeducation reduces recurrence and hospital admission in people with bipolar disorder
Scott
Evid. Based Ment. Health 2003;6:115-115.
FULL TEXT  

OTHER ARTICLES NOTED (25 Apr 2003 to 18 Jul 2003)
Evid. Based Nurs. 2003;6:e1-12.
FULL TEXT  

Group Psychoeducation as Adjunctive Maintenance Therapy in Bipolar Disorder
JWatch Psychiatry 2003;2003:1-1.
FULL TEXT  

Evidence-Based Guidelines for Treating Bipolar Disorder: Recommendations from the British Association for Psychopharmacology
Goodwin
J Psychopharmacol 2003;17:149-173.
ABSTRACT