A Mixed Program Of Psychoeducational And Psychological Rehabilitation For Patients With Bipolar Disorder In A Day Hospital Setting

The present study describes a new mixed program of psychoeducational and psychological interventions for bipolar patients, applicable during everyday practice. Thirty-two bipolar patients recruited at a psychiatric day-hospital service have been admitted to a program consisting of 30 meetings and 2 follow-ups at 6 and 12 months. The psychoeducational support determined a general improvement of all included patients. At baseline, patients with residual depression had higher Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) scores than euthymic patients (mean score +/- SD: 21.25 +/- 3.92 vs. 7.00 +/- 2.95, respectively). After psychoeducation sessions, the HDRS scores of euthymic patients remained stable (mean +/- SD: 7.00 +/- 3.74), whereas the HDRS scores of depressed patients demonstrated a statistically significant improvement (mean +/- SD: 14.00 +/- 6.72, t = 2.721, p = 0.03). Results of the Connor-Davidson Resilience scale and specifically constructed questionnaire Questionario per la Valutazione della Conoscenza e dell'Apprendimento per il Disturbo Bipolare showed a statistically significant improvement in resilience and insight in all recruited patients. Psychoeducational intervention as adjunctive treatment to pharmacotherapy seems to be very effective in bipolar patients, not only for those in the euthymic phase, but this model could also be extended to patients with an ongoing mild or moderate depressive episode.