The prognostic role of perceived criticism, medication adherence and family knowledge in bipolar disorders

Two-year evaluation of a multifamily psychoeducational program (PROTEC) in the family burden and prognosis of bipolar patients

INTRODUCTION

Bipolar disorder causes a significant burden on the lives of patients and their families. The family is one of the targets for therapeutic intervention, related to the prognosis in patients with bipolar disorder.

AIM

To assess the effectiveness of a multifamily psychoeducational program for people with bipolar disorder, in the family burden: objective and subjective and in the variables related to the course of the patients with bipolar disorder (symptoms, adherence, functionality, hospitalizations), comparing it with a control group (CG).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 148 relatives of bipolar patients and 148 bipolar patients were recruited. The sample was randomized (experimental group [EG] and CG) and with single-blind evaluations (baseline, at 5 months and one year). Clinical and sociodemographic variables were collected from families and patients (family burden self-report scale, Strauss-Carpenter Scale, Global Assessment of Functioning, Morisky Green adherence Scale). Both, EG and CG received 8 multifamily sessions, applied exclusively on the relatives of patients with bipolar disorder, but in the EG a psychoeducational treatment was carried out and in the CG only playful and current topics were discussed. Bivariate and logistic regression models were used, among others.

RESULTS

The caregivers and patients of the EG and CG did not differ in any of the baseline variables (sociodemographic and clinical) (P>.001). In the total sample, the baseline objective burden was light (mean 0.6±0.4) and the subjective ones was medium-moderate (mean 1.1±0.3). During the follow-up, in relation to the variables of the caregivers, there was a greater reduction in the objective burden in the EG compared to the CG (5 months P=.006; one year P=.002). It was found that the objective burden (P=.006) and the subjective burden (P=.003) were significantly reduced over a year in EG but not in the CG. During the follow-up, the patients whose caregivers belonged to the EG showed a greater increase in the frequency of social activity (P=.008), in the work activity (P=.002), and global functioning (P=.002), and reduced their symptoms (P≤.001). Longitudinal analyses, over a year, showed that patients in the EG had a greater improvement in functionality compared to patients in the CG (P=.001). After the intervention, adherence to pharmacological treatment improved more in EG than in the CG (P≤.001). Regarding hospitalizations, any patients in the CG were hospitalized during the 5 months after the intervention, while 27.8% of the patients in the CG were hospitalized (P≤.001); the difference between groups remained significant in the long term (one year: P≤.001; 2 years: P≤.001). There were no significant differences between groups in the pharmacological treatment of the patients in any of the evaluations.

CONCLUSIONS

The multifamily psychoeducational intervention group improved the family burden after the intervention. Likewise, bipolar patients, whose families attended the EG, improved significantly, over a year, the functionality, the frequency of social contacts, the work status, the adherence to treatment, and reduced their symptoms. In addition, in the EG, the percentage of hospitalizations during the 2 years of follow-up was significantly reduced.

The clinical characterization of the adult patient with bipolar disorder aimed at personalization of management

Bipolar disorder is heterogeneous in phenomenology, illness trajectory, and response to treatment. Despite evidence for the efficacy of multimodal-ity interventions, the majority of persons affected by this disorder do not achieve and sustain full syndromal recovery. It is eagerly anticipated that combining datasets across various information sources (e.g., hierarchical "multi-omic" measures, electronic health records), analyzed using advanced computational methods (e.g., machine learning), will inform future diagnosis and treatment selection. In the interim, identifying clinically meaningful subgroups of persons with the disorder having differential response to specific treatments at point-of-care is an empirical priority. This paper endeavours to synthesize salient domains in the clinical characterization of the adult patient with bipolar disorder, with the overarching aim to improve health outcomes by informing patient management and treatment considerations. Extant data indicate that characterizing select domains in bipolar disorder provides actionable information and guides shared decision making. For example, it is robustly established that the presence of mixed features - especially during depressive episodes - and of physical and psychiatric comorbidities informs illness trajectory, response to treatment, and suicide risk. In addition, early environmental exposures (e.g., sexual and physical abuse, emotional neglect) are highly associated with more complicated illness presentations, inviting the need for developmentally-oriented and integrated treatment approaches. There have been significant advances in validating subtypes of bipolar disorder (e.g., bipolar I vs. II disorder), particularly in regard to pharmacological interventions. As with other severe mental disorders, social functioning, interpersonal/family relationships and internalized stigma are domains highly relevant to relapse risk, health outcomes, and quality of life. The elevated standardized mortality ratio for completed suicide and suicidal behaviour in bipolar disorder invites the need for characterization of this domain in all patients. The framework of this paper is to describe all the above salient domains, providing a synthesis of extant literature and recommendations for decision support tools and clinical metrics that can be implemented at point-of-care.

Expressed Emotion and Health Care Use in Borderline Personality Disorder Patients and Relatives

Introduction: Expressed emotion (EE) is a global index of attitudes, emotions, and behaviors of relatives who have family members with a mental or psychiatric disorder. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to study EE in relatives and patients’ perceived EE in a borderline personality disorder (BPD) outpatient sample. Methods: The sample was composed of 134 relatives and 111 BPD outpatients who were receiving psychological treatment. Relevant clinical outcomes, number of medical visits, EE in relatives and perceived EE in BPD patients were measured. Subsequently, descriptive statistical analyses, dependent-samples t tests, and correlation analyses were performed. Results: Relatives' EE was not significantly different than patients' perceived EE. Expressed emotion factors were weakly associated to emergency department visits and hospital admissions. Discussion: Contrary to EE studies in other diagnoses, results show that the BPD patients' emotional climate in their proximate relationships might not influence health care use.

Perceived criticism and family attitudes as predictors of recurrence in bipolar disorder

Background

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a highly recurrent psychiatric condition. While combined pharmacological and psychosocial treatments improve outcomes, not much is known about potential moderators that could affect these treatments. One potential moderator might be the quality of interpersonal relations in families, for example, familial attitudes and perceived criticism.

Method

To explore this question we conducted a post-hoc analysis that used an existing data set from a previous study by our group that compared cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and supporting therapy (ST) in remitted BD. In the present study, we used Cox proportional hazard models.

Results

We found that the relatives’ ratings of criticism predicted the likelihood of depressive recurrences, especially in the ST condition. The patients’ ratings of negative familial attitudes predicted the risk of recurrences in general, irrespective of the therapy condition.

Conclusion

These results suggest that it might be important to assess perceived criticism and familial attitudes as potential moderators of treatment outcome in BD.

Factors influencing medication adherence among patients with severe mental disorders from the perspective of mental health professionals

BACKGROUND

Medication adherence is a common issue influenced by various factors among patients with severe mental disorders worldwide. However, most literature to date has been primarily quantitative and has focused on medication adherence issue from the perspective of patients or their caregivers. Moreover, research focused on medication adherence issue in China is scarce. Present study aims to explore the influential factors of medication adherence among patients with severe mental disorders form the perspective of mental health professionals in Hunan Province, China.

METHODS

A qualitative study was performed in Hunan Province, China with 31 mental health professionals recruited from October to November 2017. And semi-structured interviews or focus group interviews were conducted along with audio recordings of all interviews. Interview transcripts were then coded and analyzed in Nvivo software with standard qualitative approaches.

RESULTS

Three major themes influencing medication adherence among patients with severe mental disorders were identified as: (1) attitudes towards mental disorder/treatment; (2) inadequate aftercare; (3) resource shortages.

CONCLUSIONS

This qualitative study identified the factors influencing medication adherence among patients with severe mental disorders in China. As a locally driven research study, it provides practical advice on medication adherence promotion for mental health workers and suggests culturally tailored models that improve the management of patients with severe mental disorders in order to reduce economic burden on individual and societal level.

Family perspectives of healthcare for relatives living with a mental illness

PURPOSE

This study explored how parents, partners or spouses, siblings, and adult children, who had a relative living with a mental illness, experienced interactions with mental healthcare providers and staff.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A descriptive qualitative research process guided interviews with 20 family members about their experiences with the mental healthcare system.

FINDINGS

Analysis yielded similar and different themes of experience for each family role. Although navigating the mental system presented challenges, positive experiences affirmed family members' contributions to caregiving.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Involvement of family members contributes to inclusive care and promotes family satisfaction with care provided to their relative.

Incorporating family factors into treatment planning for adolescent depression: Perceived parental criticism predicts longitudinal symptom trajectory in the Youth Partners in Care trial

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to clarify the predictive significance of youth perceptions of parental criticism assessed using a brief measure designed to enhance clinical utility. We hypothesized that high perceived parental criticism would be associated with more severe depression over 18-months of follow-up.

METHODS

The study involved secondary analyses from the Youth Partners in Care trial, which demonstrated that a quality improvement intervention aimed at increasing access to evidence-based depression treatment in primary care led to improved depression outcomes at post-treatment compared to usual care enhanced by provider education regarding depression evaluation/management. Patients (N = 418; ages 13-21) were assessed at four time points: baseline; post-treatment (six-month follow-up); 12- and 18-month follow-ups. The primary analysis estimated the effect of perceived parental criticism on likelihood of severe depression (i.e., Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale ≥ 24) over post-intervention follow-ups using a repeated-measures logistic regression model. Secondarily, a linear mixed-effects growth model examined symptom trajectories from baseline through 18-months using the Mental Health Index-5, a measure of emotional distress available at all time-points.

RESULTS

High perceived parental criticism emerged as a robust predictor of clinically-elevated depression (OR=1.66, p=.02) and a more pernicious symptom trajectory over 18-months (β =-1.89, p<.0001).

LIMITATIONS

The association between the self-report perceived criticism and traditional expressed emotion measures derived from verbal and nonverbal parental behaviors was not evaluated.

CONCLUSIONS

Results support perceived parental criticism as a predictor of youth depression outcomes over 18-months. This brief measure can be feasibly integrated within clinical assessment to assist clinicians in optimizing treatment benefits.

Effectiveness of a Smartphone App With a Wearable Activity Tracker in Preventing the Recurrence of Mood Disorders: Prospective Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND

Smartphones and wearable devices can be used to obtain diverse daily log data related to circadian rhythms. For patients with mood disorders, giving feedback via a smartphone app with appropriate behavioral correction guides could play an important therapeutic role in the real world.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a smartphone app named Circadian Rhythm for Mood (CRM), which was developed to prevent mood episodes based on a machine learning algorithm that uses passive digital phenotype data of circadian rhythm behaviors obtained with a wearable activity tracker. The feedback intervention for the CRM app consisted of a trend report of mood prediction, H-score feedback with behavioral guidance, and an alert system triggered when trending toward a high-risk state.

METHODS

In total, 73 patients with a major mood disorder were recruited and allocated in a nonrandomized fashion into 2 groups: the CRM group (14 patients) and the non-CRM group (59 patients). After the data qualification process, 10 subjects in the CRM group and 33 subjects in the non-CRM group were evaluated over 12 months. Both groups were treated in a similar manner. Patients took their usual medications, wore a wrist-worn activity tracker, and checked their eMoodChart daily. Patients in the CRM group were provided with daily feedback on their mood prediction and health scores based on the algorithm. For the CRM group, warning alerts were given when irregular life patterns were observed. However, these alerts were not given to patients in the non-CRM group. Every 3 months, mood episodes that had occurred in the previous 3 months were assessed based on the completed daily eMoodChart for both groups. The clinical course and prognosis, including mood episodes, were evaluated via face-to-face interviews based on the completed daily eMoodChart. For a 1-year prospective period, the number and duration of mood episodes were compared between the CRM and non-CRM groups using a generalized linear model.

RESULTS

The CRM group had 96.7% fewer total depressive episodes (n/year; exp β=0.033, P=.03), 99.5% shorter depressive episodes (total; exp β=0.005, P<.001), 96.1% shorter manic or hypomanic episodes (exp β=0.039, P<.001), 97.4% fewer total mood episodes (exp β=0.026, P=.008), and 98.9% shorter mood episodes (total; exp β=0.011, P<.001) than the non-CRM group. Positive changes in health behaviors due to the alerts and in wearable device adherence rates were observed in the CRM group.

CONCLUSIONS

The CRM app with a wearable activity tracker was found to be effective in preventing and reducing the recurrence of mood disorders, improving prognosis, and promoting better health behaviors. Patients appeared to develop a regular habit of using the CRM app.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03088657; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03088657.

Self-reported medication adherence and its correlates in a lithium-maintained cohort with bipolar disorder at a tertiary care centre in India

BACKGROUND

Lithium remains a cornerstone of prophylaxis in bipolar disorder (BD), but adherence continues to be a major clinical challenge and merits a closer attention. There is scant literature available in Indian as well as Asian context.

METHODS

This study was conducted at Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS, New Delhi with an aim to assess the self-reported medication adherence and its correlates among a naturalistic, lithium-maintained cohort (n = 76) with bipolar disorder. Subjects were included if they were on lithium therapy ≥1 year, met DSM-5 diagnosis of bipolar disorder and were in clinical remission (≥1 month). Besides sociodemographic and clinical performa, participants were assessed on medication adherence rating scale (MARS), lithium questionnaire for knowledge and lithium attitude questionnaire (LAQ).

RESULTS

Mean age was 35.7 ± 10.6 years (males: 59.2%); median duration of illness and lithium therapy was 84 months and 24.5 months, respectively. Mean MARS score was 6.95 ± 2.81. Regression analysis (with MARS total as dependent variable) found LAQ score to be the single most significant predictor variable (β=-0.681, p < 0.0001), explaining over 75% of the total variance. In regression model with MARS factor-1 score as dependent variable, the 'LAQ score' (β=-0.601, p < 0.0001) and 'being accompanied by family during psychiatric visits (always/mostly) in the past year' (β = 0.193, p = 0.010) emerged as significant predictor variables.

CONCLUSION

Adherence in lithium-maintained treatment-seeking cohort of patients with BD remains far from ideal as observed in this naturalistic setting. Lithium-related attitudes and being accompanied by family during psychiatric visits were found to be significant predictors for adherence.

Comparison of the effect of postdischarge education with multimedia and group discussion methods on family caregiving for patients with bipolar disorder in Shiraz Psychiatric Hospitals

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Bipolar disorder is a common psychiatric disorder. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of two postdischarge educational methods including multimedia and group discussion on family caregiving of patients with bipolar disorder.

METHODS

In this study, the families of 30 patients with bipolar disorder in Shiraz hospitals were studied and matched in terms of gender and age into two groups. One group received the group discussion and the other received the multimedia teaching method interventions. The demographic variables including age, gender, education, marital status, and relationship with the patient were collected. Data were analyzed using SPSS 18 software.

RESULTS

Most of the patients were male and most of their caregivers were female. The results showed that the pre and posttest mean and standard deviations of educational function (P = 0.007), caregiving function (P = 0.0004) and medication function (P = 0.04) of the group receiving the multimedia teaching intervention were significantly different. However, the pre and post-test mean and standard deviations of caregiving function (P = 0.2) and medication function (P = 0.3) of the group receiving group discussion did not show a significant difference. However, there was a significant difference in educational function of this group (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

The use of multimedia method is more effective than the group discussion method and can be used as a tool to improve the caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder in Iranian society.

Self-Management Education for Bipolar Disorders: A Hermeneutic-Phenomenological Study on the Tacit Knowledge of Mental Health Nurses

Background: Self-management of bipolar disorder (BD) education is a complex nursing intervention in which patients and informal caregivers are taught to be actively involved in self-monitoring and self-regulating activities. Some studies question if nurses are sufficiently equipped to deliver these educational tasks. Other studies suggest that nurses have gathered their knowledge implicitly by experience, but to date, this tacit knowledge is not described from the experiences of mental health nurses (MHNs) in ambulant BD care. Objective: To detect the tacit knowledge used by MHNs by interpreting their experiences in delivering self-management education to people with BD and their informal caregivers. Methods: A phenomenological-hermeneutical study amongst MHNs (N = 9) from three ambulant BD care clinics in the Netherlands. Face-to-face, open, in-depth interviews guided by a topic list, were conducted and transcribed verbatim prior to the hermeneutical analysis. Findings: We found five categories resembling the complex character of self-management interventions provided by MHNs: Building a trustful collaboration, Starting a dialogue about needs and responsibilities, Explaining BD, Utilizing mood monitoring instruments, and Conceptualizing self-management of BD. Conclusion: Eventually MHNs use tacit knowledge to cope with situations that demand an outside-the-box approach. Self-management education is partially trained and partially mastered through experience. Practice implications: In order to facilitate long-term self-management of BD, the collaboration of a supporting network is essential.

The association between family dysfunction and admission to an acute mental health inpatient unit: a prospective study

OBJECTIVES

With the shift from deinstitutionalization to community care in mental health services, relatives of persons with severe and enduring mental illnesses have had to take over the role as primary caregivers. Disturbed family dynamics have been observed within families with an 'ill' member. Although schizophrenia and related mental illnesses are biologically based disorders, environmental stress (including stress within family relationships) plays a major role in the onset and maintenance of symptoms. With this study, we assume that family dynamics play a central role in the course of severe psychiatric illness and hypothesized that dysfunction within family systems is a prognostic indicator of hospitalization in the course of schizophrenia/bipolar and schizoaffective disorders.

METHODS

Prospective, observational cohort study evaluating family functioning of 121 patients (schizophrenia/bipolar and schizoaffective disorder) from community at baseline and followed-up over 12-month period after recruitment. Measurements included demographics, diagnosis, Family Assessment Device - General Functioning, Perceived Criticism Scale, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Global Assessment of Functioning and Social Support Questionnaire-6.

RESULTS

Significant differences found between patients admitted and not admitted during the 12-month time period for age (p = 0.003), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS; p = 0.026), Family Assessment Device - General Functioning (FAD-GF; p = 0.007) and Social Support Questionnaire total satisfaction level (p = 0.042) at baseline. Bivariate analysis showed that those admitted into hospital were younger with a higher BPRS score, less social satisfaction and disturbed family dynamics. FAD-GF (p = 0.006) and age (p = 0.022) were significant independent predictors for admission.

CONCLUSION

This provides further evidence supporting importance of promoting better family functioning through modified family dynamics, integrating and involving family into the care of such patients.

Symptoms, course of Illness, and comorbidity as predictors of expressed emotion in bipolar disorder

High levels of expressed emotions (EE) reflect the amount of criticism and/or over-involvement in families and has been linked to relapse risk in various psychiatric disorders including bipolar disorder (BD). Less clear is which factors contribute to the development and/or maintenance of EE. Therefore, we tested whether patient characteristics, specifically clinical features and personality disorder traits in BD predicted key aspects of EE as assessed by patients and their relatives. Patients with remitted BD and their relatives were asked to complete the Family Attitude Scale (FAS) and the Perceived Criticism Measure (PCM). Patient characteristics were assessed with a variety of measures including SCID I and II. The FAS and PCM shared 25% of the variance for patients and 14% for relatives, suggesting a conceptual overlap, but they may not assess identical constructs. The number of previous mood episodes, current self-rated manic symptoms, and comorbid symptoms of Cluster C personality disorder predicted patient-rated FAS. Relative-rated FAS was only predicted by comorbid symptoms of Cluster A personality disorder. In BD, specific patient characteristics seem to be linked to key aspects of EE even when in remission. However, it might depend whether the patient, his/her relative, or a neutral observer assessed EE.

Medication nonadherence in bipolar disorder: a narrative review

A number of effective maintenance medication options exist for bipolar disorder (BD) and these are regarded as the foundation of long-term treatment in BD. However, nonadherence to medication is common in BD. For example, a large data base study in the United States of America (USA) showed that approximately half of patients with BD were nonadherent with lithium and maintenance medications over a 12 month period. Such nonadherence carries a high risk of relapse due to the recurrent nature of the illness and the fact that abrupt cessation of treatment, particularly lithium, may cause rebound depression and mania. Indeed, medication nonadherence in BD is associated with significantly increased risks of relapse, recurrence, hospitalization and suicide attempts and a decreased likelihood of achieving remission and recovery, as well as with higher overall treatment costs. Factors associated with nonadherence include adverse effects of medication, complex medication regimens, negative patient attitudes to medication, poor insight, rapid-cycling BD, comorbid substance misuse and a poor therapeutic alliance. Clinicians should routinely enquire about nonadherence in a nonjudgmental fashion. Potential steps to improve adherence include simple pragmatic strategies related to prescribing including shared decision-making, psychoeducation with a clear focus on adherence, reminders (traditional and digital), potentially using a depot rather than an oral antipsychotic, managing comorbid substance misuse and improving therapeutic alliance. Financial incentives have been shown to improve adherence to depot antipsychotics, but this approach raises ethical issues and its long-term effectiveness is unknown. Often a combination of approaches will be required. The strategies that are adopted need to be patient specific, reflecting that nonadherence has no single cause, and chosen by the patient and clinician working together.

The user experiences and clinical outcomes of an online personal health record to support self-management of bipolar disorder: A pretest-posttest pilot study

BACKGROUND

Self-management comprises knowledge, behavior, activities and resources providing people with bipolar disorder (BD) control over fluctuating mood and activity-patterns. The 'Self-management and Dialogue in Bipolar Disorder' project entailed the tailoring of an online personal health record (PHR) originally designed for the chronically ill to monitor condition and share information with their clinician to people with BD (PHR-BD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, utility and user-experiences of participants with BD, relatives, and healthcare professionals who worked with the PHR-BD.

METHODS

Post-test online closed- and open ended questionnaires were used to collect information on utility, and user-experiences with PHR-BD. A pre-posttest design to evaluate clinical effects on quality of life, empowerment, symptom reduction, changes in mood and activity, and illness burden and severity at baseline and at 12-months follow-up.

RESULTS

Sixty-six participants with BD logged in at baseline. At study endpoint thirty-nine participants with BD, eleven professionals and one family caregiver filled out the evaluations. No significant differences in the clinical outcomes from baseline were found. Qualitative evaluations showed a frequent utility of the mood chart modules, improved communication between clinician and participant with BD and, increased insight in influencing factors of mood fluctuations.

LIMITATIONS

Small convenience sample, no controls.

CONCLUSIONS

The option to alternate the interface from a prospective to a retrospective mood chart , and integration with the personal crisis plan was considered to be of added value in self-managing BD. The findings of this study will guide the future implementation of the PHR-BD.

A study of the real-world effectiveness of group psychoeducation for bipolar disorders: Is change in illness perception a key mediator of benefit?

BACKGROUND

Findings from efficacy trials of group psychoeducation (PE) for bipolar disorders (BD) led to its inclusion in evidence-based guidelines as a first-line mandatory treatment. However, pragmatic trials and observational studies are needed to determine its real-world effectiveness, impact on outcomes deemed important to patients and to clarify potential mediators of any benefits.

METHODS

Individuals with BD were offered the opportunity to participate in 20h of PE and asked to complete pre- and post-intervention ratings of symptoms, knowledge about BD, medication adherence, and illness perception. A priori, two key patient outcomes were identified (social functioning and self-esteem); sample attrition due to dropout or relapse was recorded.

RESULTS

Of 156 individuals who completed the pre-PE assessments, 103 completed the program and post-PE assessments. Only 4 of 53 dropouts were associated with BD relapse. Post-intervention, the PE completers demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in social functioning (p = 0.003, Effect Size (ES) = 0.26) and a trend towards improved self-esteem (ES = 0.14). Whilst there were significant changes in medication adherence (p = 0.002, ES = 0.28), knowledge of BD (p < 0.001, ES = 1.20), and illness perception (p < 0.001, ES = -0.37), mediational analysis demonstrated that only change in illness perception was associated to change in functioning (p=0.03) with no contribution from changes in knowledge of BD or medication adherence.

CONCLUSIONS

In real-world settings, over 60% individuals completed 10-session course of PE. After controlling for demography and baseline clinical state, change in illness perception, rather than change in knowledge or medication adherence, emerged as a potential mediator of some benefits of PE.

From eHealth to iHealth: Transition to Participatory and Personalized Medicine in Mental Health

Clinical assessment in psychiatry is commonly based on findings from brief, regularly scheduled in-person appointments. Although critically important, this approach reduces assessment to cross-sectional observations that miss essential information about disease course. The mental health provider makes all medical decisions based on this limited information. Thanks to recent technological advances such as mobile phones and other personal devices, electronic health (eHealth) data collection strategies now can provide access to real-time patient self-report data during the interval between visits. Since mobile phones are generally kept on at all times and carried everywhere, they are an ideal platform for the broad implementation of ecological momentary assessment technology. Integration of these tools into medical practice has heralded the eHealth era. Intelligent health (iHealth) further builds on and expands eHealth by adding novel built-in data analysis approaches based on (1) incorporation of new technologies into clinical practice to enhance real-time self-monitoring, (2) extension of assessment to the patient's environment including caregivers, and (3) data processing using data mining to support medical decision making and personalized medicine. This will shift mental health care from a reactive to a proactive and personalized discipline.

Informal Caregivers' Learning Experiences With Self-Management Support of Individuals Living With Bipolar Disorder: A Phenomenological Study

BACKGROUND

The degree of informal caregiver involvement influences the self-management of individuals living with bipolar disorder (BD).

OBJECTIVE

This article aims to provide a description of informal caregivers' learning experiences in self-management support of BD in order to guide professionals in tailoring future psychosocial and psychoeducational interventions.

DESIGN

In-depth open interviews with 10 informal caregivers of patients with BD who followed treatment in the context of specialized outpatient bipolar care were conducted.

RESULTS

Four learning phases emerged from the phenomenological analysis describing the informal caregivers learning process: (1) understanding BD, (2) overcoming the dilemmas in self-management support for individuals living with BD, (3) dividing tasks and responsibilities, and (4) acquiring a personal definition of self-management support for individuals living with BD.

CONCLUSION

By grasping the concept of BD, informal caregivers gradually learn how to overcome dilemmas resulting from living with someone with BD, and how to control the expression of emotions. They learn to reflect on the nature of conflicts and how to share the responsibilities of illness management with individuals living with BD and professionals. Mastering these skills eventually allows them to define and delimit their supporting informal caregiver role in the self-management of BD.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Our findings provide information regarding the educational needs of informal caregivers to tailor counseling, and psychosocial and psychoeducational interventions in specialized outpatient care for individuals living with BD.

Perceived criticism predicts outcome of psychotherapy for panic disorder: Replication and extension

OBJECTIVE

We tested the relation of perceived criticism (PC) from a parent or spouse/romantic partner to outcome of psychotherapy for panic disorder (PD).

METHOD

Participants were 130 patients with PD (79% with agoraphobia) who received 24 twice-weekly sessions of panic-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, or applied relaxation therapy. Patients were predominantly White (75%), female (64%), and non-Hispanic (85%). At baseline, Week 5 of treatment, termination, and at 6- and 12-month follow-up, patients rated PC from the relative with whom they lived. Independent evaluators assessed the severity of PD at baseline, Weeks 1, 5, and 9 of treatment, termination, and the 2 follow-up points. Data were analyzed with piecewise (treatment phase, follow-up phase) latent growth curve modeling.

RESULTS

The latent intercept for PC at baseline predicted the latent slope for panic severity in the follow-up (p = .04) but not the active treatment phase (p = .50). In contrast, the latent intercept for PD severity at baseline did not predict the latent slope on PC in either phase (ps ≥ .29). Nor did the slopes of PC and PD severity covary across treatment (p = .31) or follow-up (p = .13). Indeed, PC did not change significantly across treatment (p = .45), showing the stability of this perception regardless of significant change in severity of patients' PD (p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Because PC predicts worse long-term treatment outcome for PD, study findings argue for interventions to address perceived criticism in treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record

Medication non-adherence in bipolar disorder: Review of rates, demographic and clinical predictors

AIM

To conduct a systematic search for all studies examining rates and demographic and illness-related determinants of medication non-adherence in bipolar disorder (BD).

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was undertaken of six English-language databases to identify published articles on medication non-adherence in BD from inception till December 2016. Any article, either a review or an original-research article was examined for its relevance to the subject. All such articles were manually searched to locate any further articles containing relevant information. Studies were included only if they had adequately described the patient sample, assessment methods and statistical procedures, presented their results systematically and their conclusions were congruent with the results.

RESULTS

The initial search yielded 249 articles on the subject; of these 198 articles were included. Of the 162 original-research studies, 132 had provided information on rates of medication non-adherence in BD. There was a wide variation in rates ranging from universal adherence (100%) to almost universal non-adherence (96%); this discrepancy was more due to methodological differences than true variations in rates. Notwithstanding the significant discrepancies in methodology, based on these 132 studies mean rates of 41.5%-43% and median rates of 40%-41% were obtained for medication non-adherence in BD. Rates of adherence with mood stabilizers were significantly lower than those for antipsychotics, or for medications of all classes. None of the demographic attributes were unequivocally linked to medication non-adherence in BD. Similarly, medication-related variables such as type of medications, doses, treatment regimens and side effects did not demonstrate consistent associations with non-adherence. Among clinical characteristics the presence of comorbid substance use disorder and absence of insight were the only two factors clearly linked to non-adherence in BD.

CONCLUSION

Medication non-adherence is prevalent in about a third to half of patients with BD. Demographic, illness and treatment related factors do not predict non-adherence with certainty.

Cognitive-behavioral rehabilitation vs. treatment as usual for bipolar patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder (BD) is commonly associated with cognitive and functional impairments even during remission periods, and although a growing number of studies have demonstrated the benefits of psychotherapy as an add-on to pharmacological treatment, its effectiveness appears to be less compelling in severe presentations of the disorder. New interventions have attempted to improve cognitive functioning in BD patients, but results have been mixed.

METHODS

The study consists of a clinical trial comparing a new structured group intervention, called "Cognitive-Behavioral Rehabilitation," with treatment as usual (TAU) for bipolar patients. The new approach is a combination of cognitive behavioral strategies and cognitive remediation exercises, consisting of 12 weekly group sessions of 90 min each. To be included in the study, patients must be diagnosed with BD type I or II, aged 18-55 years, in full or partial remission, and have an IQ of at least 80. A comprehensive neuropsychological battery, followed by mood, social functioning, and quality of life assessments will occur in three moments: pre and post intervention and 12 months later. The primary outcome of the study is to compare the time, in weeks, that the first full mood episode appears in patients who participated in either group of the study. Secondary outcome will include improvement in cognitive functions.

DISCUSSION

This is the first controlled trial assessing the validity and effectiveness of the new "Cognitive-Behavioral Rehabilitation" intervention in preventing new mood episodes and improving cognitive and functional impairments.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrial.gov, NCT02766361 . Registered on 2 May 2016.

Treatment-adherence in bipolar disorder: A patient-centred approach

About half of the patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BD) become non-adherent during long-term treatment, a rate largely similar to other chronic illnesses and one that has remained unchanged over the years. Non-adherence in BD is a complex phenomenon determined by a multitude of influences. However, there is considerable uncertainty about the key determinants of non-adherence in BD. Initial research on non-adherence in BD mostly limited itself to examining demographic, clinical and medication-related factors impacting adherence. However, because of inconsistent results and failure of these studies to address the complexities of adherence behaviour, demographic and illness-related factors were alone unable to explain or predict non-adherence in BD. This prompted a shift to a more patient-centred approach of viewing non-adherence. The central element of this approach includes an emphasis on patients’ decisions regarding their own treatment based on their personal beliefs, life circumstances and their perceptions of benefits and disadvantages of treatment. Patients’ decision-making processes are influenced by the nature of their relationship with clinicians and the health-care system and by people in their immediate environment. The primacy of the patient’s perspective on non-adherence is in keeping with the current theoretical models and concordance-based approaches to adherence behaviour in BD. Research over the past two decades has further endorsed the critical role of patients’ attitudes and beliefs regarding medications, the importance of a collaborative treatment-alliance, the influence of the family, and the significance of other patient-related factors such as knowledge, stigma, patient satisfaction and access to treatment in determining non-adherence in BD. Though simply moving from an illness-centred to a patient-centred approach is unlikely to solve the problem of non-adherence in BD, such an approach is more likely to lead to a better understanding of non-adherence and more likely to yield effective solutions to tackle this common and distressing problem afflicting patients with BD.

Trial for the Prevention of Depression (TriPoD) in final-year secondary students: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Evidence suggests that current treatments cannot fully alleviate the burden of disease associated with depression but that prevention approaches offer a promising opportunity to further reduce this burden. Adolescence is a critical period in the development of mental illness, and final school examinations are a significant and nearly universal stressor that may act as a trigger for mental health difficulties such as depression. The aim of the present trial is to investigate the impact of SPARX-R, an online, gamified intervention based on cognitive behavioural principles, on the prevention of depression in secondary school students before their final examinations.

METHODS/DESIGN

Government, independent and Catholic secondary schools in New South Wales, Australia, will be recruited to participate in the trial. All students enrolled in their final year of high school (year 12) in participating schools will be invited to participate. To account for possible attrition, the target sample size was set at 1600 participants across 30 schools. Participating schools will be cluster randomised at the school level to receive either SPARX-R or lifeSTYLE, an attention-controlled placebo comparator. The control intervention is an online program aimed at maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The primary outcome will be symptoms of depression, and secondary outcomes will include symptoms of anxiety, suicidal ideation and behaviours, stigma and academic performance. Additional measures of cost-effectiveness, as well as process variables (e.g., adherence, acceptability) and potential predictors of response to treatment, will be collected. Consenting parents will be invited to complete measures regarding their own mental health and expectations for their child. Assessments will be conducted pre- and post-intervention and at 6- and 18-month follow-up. Primary analyses will compare changes in levels of depressive symptomatology for the intervention group relative to the attention control condition using mixed-effects model repeated-measures analyses to account for clustering within schools.

DISCUSSION

This is the first trial of a universal depression prevention intervention delivered to school students in advance of a specific, significant stressor. If found to be effective, this program may offer schools a new approach to preparing students for their final year of schooling.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry identifier: ACTRN12614000316606 . Registered 25 March 2014.

Taking the fuel out of the fire: evidence for the use of anti-inflammatory agents in the treatment of bipolar disorders

BACKGROUND

Inflammation has emerged as a potentially important factor - and thus putative pharmacological target - in the pathology of bipolar disorders. However to date no systematic evaluations of the efficacy of add on anti-inflammatory treatment for the depressive and manic episodes have been carried out.

METHODS

Sixteen articles were ultimately identified - by computer searches of databases (including PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and EMBASE), supplemented by hand searches and personal communication - as meeting study inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

Anti-manic effects were evaluated in two trials, one of adjunctive n-acetyl cysteine (NAC), one of omega-3 fatty acids (O3FA), and significant improvements only emerged for NAC. Celecoxib had a rapid but short-lived antidepressant effect. Despite limited effects of O3FA on symptoms, imaging data demonstrated alterations in neuronal functioning that might have longer-term therapeutic effects. Evidence was strongest for adjunctive NAC in bipolar depression though conclusions are limited by small sample sizes.

LIMITATIONS

Definitive conclusions are limited by the paucity of data, small study sizes, and the variability in methodology used.

CONCLUSIONS

Current evidence for aspirin or celecoxib is insufficient though further investigation of the potential of celecoxib in early illness onset is warranted. Variable evidence exists for add-on O3FA though an indication of short-term treatment effects on membrane fluidity and neuronal activity suggest longer follow-up assessment is needed. The strongest evidence emerged for NAC in depression and future studies must address the role of illness duration and patients׳ baseline medications on outcomes. Careful consideration of lithium toxicity in the elderly and renal impaired is essential.

Psychosocial treatment and interventions for bipolar disorder: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic disorder with a high relapse rate, significant general disability and burden and with a psychosocial impairment that often persists despite pharmacotherapy. This indicates the need for effective and affordable adjunctive psychosocial interventions, tailored to the individual patient. Several psychotherapeutic techniques have tried to fill this gap, but which intervention is suitable for each patient remains unknown and it depends on the phase of the illness.

METHODS

The papers were located with searches in PubMed/MEDLINE through May 1st 2015 with a combination of key words. The review followed the recommendations of the Preferred Items for Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement.

RESULTS

The search returned 7,332 papers; after the deletion of duplicates, 6,124 remained and eventually 78 were included for the analysis. The literature supports the usefulness only of psychoeducation for the relapse prevention of mood episodes and only in a selected subgroup of patients at an early stage of the disease who have very good, if not complete remission, of the acute episode. Cognitive-behavioural therapy and interpersonal and social rhythms therapy could have some beneficial effect during the acute phase, but more data are needed. Mindfulness interventions could only decrease anxiety, while interventions to improve neurocognition seem to be rather ineffective. Family intervention seems to have benefits mainly for caregivers, but it is uncertain whether they have an effect on patient outcomes.

CONCLUSION

The current review suggests that the literature supports the usefulness only of specific psychosocial interventions targeting specific aspects of BD in selected subgroups of patients.

Relatives' emotional involvement moderates the effects of family therapy for bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVE

The "critical comments" dimension of the expressed emotion (EE) construct has been found to predict the illness course of patients with bipolar disorder, but less is known about the "emotional overinvolvement" component. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether relatives' observed appropriate and inappropriate emotional involvement (intrusiveness, self-sacrifice, and distress about patients' well-being) moderated the effectiveness of a family-based intervention for bipolar disorder.

METHOD

108 patients with bipolar disorder (mean age = 35.61 years, SD = 10.07; 57% female) and their relatives (62% spouses) from 2 clinical trials completed 10-min problem-solving interactions prior to being treated with pharmacotherapy plus family-based therapy (FBT) or brief psychoeducation (crisis management [CM]). Patients were interviewed every 3-6 months over 2 years to assess mood symptoms.

RESULTS

When relatives showed low levels of inappropriate self-sacrifice, CM and FBT were both associated with improvements in patients' manic symptoms over 2 years. When relatives showed high levels, patients in CM became more manic over time, whereas patients in FBT became less manic. Group differences in mania trajectories were also observed at high levels of inappropriate emotional response but not at low. When relatives showed high levels of appropriate self-sacrifice, patients in both groups became less depressed. At low levels of appropriate self-sacrifice, patients in CM did not improve, whereas patients in FBT became less depressed.

CONCLUSIONS

Future studies of bipolar disorder should consider the prognostic value of the amount and appropriateness of relatives' emotional involvement with patients in addition to their critical behaviors.

Psychosocial interventions in bipolar disorder: what, for whom, and when

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic condition with a high relapse rate, morbidity and psychosocial impairment that often persist despite pharmacotherapy, highlighting the need for adjunctive psychosocial treatments. It is still unclear which populations are most likely to benefit from which approach and the best timing to implement them.

METHODS

A review was conducted with the aim to determine what the efficacious psychological treatments are, for whom and when. Randomized-controlled trials and key studies in adults with BD published until June 2013 were included

RESULTS

The adjunctive psychological treatments most commonly tested in BD were cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychoeducation, interpersonal and social rhythm therapy, and family intervention. The efficacy of specific adjunctive psychosocial interventions has been proven not only in short- but also long-term follow-up for some treatments. Outcomes vary between studies, with most trials focused on clinical variables like recurrence prevention or symptom reduction and less attention, although gradually expanding, paid to other aspects such as psychosocial functioning. The samples were usually in remission or with mild symptoms when recruited but there were a few studies with acute patients, which resulted in discrepant findings. The efficacy of psychological interventions seems to differ depending on the characteristics of the subjects and the course of the illness. Different approaches, such as functional remediation and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, have begun to be tested in BD.

LIMITATIONS

Heterogeneity of comparison groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Adjunctive psychological treatments can improve BD outcomes. Although several moderators and mediators have been identified, more research is needed to design shorter but effective interventions tailored to the characteristics of the target population. Ideally, the treatment should be introduced as soon as possible, although it does not mean that more complex patients would not benefit from psychotherapy.

Mood disorders medications: predictors of nonadherence - review of the current literature

Studies have shown that there are several factors that predict nonadherence among patients with mood disorders. The aim of the present review is to identify the predictors of nonadherence among these patients. A careful review of the literature was conducted investigating several potential predictors of nonadherence among patients with mood disorders. A total of 217 relevant articles from peer-reviewed journals were considered, and articles that met our inclusion criteria (n = 54) were selected for this review. The authors identified several predictors of nonadherence among patients with mood disorders including younger age (below 40 years old), comorbidity with substance use and personality disorders, patients' beliefs, poor insight, illness severity, treatment-related side effects, specific features of the disease and a poor therapeutic alliance. Substance use disorder and illness severity are significant predictors of nonadherence especially in patients with bipolar disorder; whereas, treatment side effects are of primary importance for depressive disorder. The authors could not carry out a meta-analysis given that the studies considered in this review assessed patients at different time points and included different measurements of nonadherence. Moreover, articles cited in this review may reflect the authors' choice, and the authors did not investigate the adherence to a specific class of drugs commonly used in the management of mood disorders. Given the high social, clinical and economic impact of nonadherence among patients who are affected by mood disorders, it is critical to recognize patients at high risk of nonadherence in order to inform future strategies to examine and improve adherence to treatment. Further research is needed to clarify this issue.

Depressive residual symptoms are associated with lower adherence to medication in bipolar patients without substance use disorder: results from the FACE-BD cohort

BACKGROUND

Poor adherence to medication is frequent in Bipolar Disorder (BD). It is associated with illness severity and increases total medical cost. Several factors are associated with poor adherence but previous studies included heterogeneous cohorts of patients with and without current mood episode, with and without SUD.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study, based on the Fondamental Advanced Centers of Expertise in Bipolar Disorders. 382 patients diagnosed with BD (type I, II or NOS) according to DSM-IV, with partial or complete remission and without comorbid SUD, were included. All patients had a large standardized clinical evaluation with structured interview and self reports. Side effects were evaluated with Patient Rated Inventory of Side Effects (PRISE). Adherence behavior was measured by a self reported scale, Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS). Univariate analyses and linear regression models were undertaken to determine factors associated with adherence.

RESULTS

Residual depressive symptoms (β=-0.155, p=0.004), and side effects (β=-0.142, p=0.008) were the main factors associated with adherence behavior in linear regression model. We found no association with residual manic symptoms, age at assessment, marital status, number of past mood episodes as well as past psychotic symptoms.

LIMITATION

We used no other assessment than self-rating scale for adherence behavior evaluation. We had no information concerning treatment regimen and patient/family knowledge about BD.

CONCLUSIONS

Adherence behavior in bipolar patients appears to be mainly influenced by the presence of residual depressive symptoms in patients without SUD. Improvement in diagnosis and pharmacotherapy of residual depressive symptoms has to be kept in mind to face low adherence to medication.

Medication nonadherence and psychiatry

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Nonadherence to appropriately prescribed medication for psychiatric disorders prevents patients from realizing the full benefits of their treatment and negatively impacts on individuals, their families and the healthcare system. Understanding and reducing nonadherence is therefore a key challenge to quality care for patients with psychiatric disorders. This review highlights findings regarding the prevalence and consequence of nonadherence, barriers to adherence and new intervention methods from 2012 onwards.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent research has highlighted that nonadherence is a global challenge for psychiatry and has linked nonadherence to poorer outcomes, including hospital admissions, suicide and mortality. Optimizing medication regimens can reduce nonadherence; however, often a complex interplay of factors affects individuals' motivation and ability to follow their prescription. Psychiatrists can enable patients to develop an accurate model of their illness and treatment and facilitate adherence. However, nonadherence is often a hidden issue within consultations. Novel interventions using new technologies and tailoring techniques may have the potential to reduce nonadherence.

SUMMARY

Nonadherence remains a significant challenge for patients with psychiatric disorders, physicians and healthcare systems. New developments demonstrate the importance of developing tailored interventions to enable patients to overcome perceptual and practical barriers to adherence.