Group Dialectical Behavioural Therapy for Bipolar Disorder

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Group Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) for Mood Instability within Bipolar Disorder: An Open Trial

• IRAS ID

  162184

• Contact name

  Kim Wright

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 8 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Bipolar Disorders (BD) typically involve repeated episodes of both depression and excessively high mood or irritability (hypomania or mania). BD presents considerable challenges for the individual, his or her supporters, and society more generally. Medication is generally considered to be the mainstay treatment, however a substantial number of individuals with BD continue to experience episodes despite use of medication. Furthermore, ongoing mood instability either outside of episodes, or as the main feature of their BD, is a significant difficulty experienced by many. Whilst studies suggest that certain psychological therapies can be helpful for people experiencing full bipolar episodes, or to reduce risk of future episodes, there are no evidence-based psychological therapies available for individuals experiencing ongoing mood instability.
  Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) was developed several decades ago as an approach for people with Borderline Personality Disorder. DBT aims to give individuals who experience rapid and intense shifts in affect skills for managing this. Despite the many similarities in the symptoms experienced by individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder and those with Bipolar Disorder only a small number of studies have tested DBT for BD, and no studies to date have specifically investigated DBT as a means to help individuals with ongoing mood instability. We have developed a version of group-based DBT that draws upon our own research to adapt standard DBT for this client group (DBT-BD). The group is designed to be delivered efficiently within the U.K. healthcare system whilst meeting the needs of individual participants through use of additional individual sessions and a mobile phone application. The current study investigates how acceptable DBT-BD is to clinicians and patients, and whether – for the small number of individuals in the study –changes in symptoms and key ways of thinking and behaving appear to take place across the period of treatment.

• REC name

  South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  14/SW/1136

• Date of REC Opinion

  16 Dec 2014

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion