Psychoeducational Psychotherapy in Adolescent Bipolar Disorder

NCT07396363 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 354-SBKAEK
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 32
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study evaluated the effects of psychoeducational psychotherapy (PEP) on neurocognitive functions, symptomatology, quality of life, and emotion regulation in euthymic adolescents with bipolar disorder (BD). Thirty-two adolescents with BD were randomized, with 16 receiving PEP. Assessments included the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Test, Pediatric Quality-of-Life Inventory, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Affective Reactivity Index, Young Mania Rating Scale, and Children's Depression Rating Scale.

Conditions

Bipolar Disorder (BD)

Keywords

Bipolar Disorder; emotion regulation; neurocognition; quality of life; irritability

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS)

  The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) assesses emotion regulation (ER) problems in adolescents across six domains: goals, strategies, impulsivity, awareness, clarity, and non-acceptance. Higher scores reflect greater ER difficulties. The Turkish version demonstrated good reliability and validity.

  12 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Wisconsin Card Sorting Test

  12 weeks

• The Pediatric Quality of life Inventory (PedsQL)

  12 weeks

• Affective Reactivity Index-Child and Parent Forms

  12 weeks

• Young Mania Rating Scale

  12 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Psychoeducational psychotherapy (PEP)

EXPERIMENTAL

PEP is a structured, manualized, family-focused psychotherapy based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Participants were invited to participate in weekly parent and child sessions over a 12-week period. Each session lasted approximately 45-50 minutes, with a total of 24 sessions available throughout the trial. Parental involvement was incorporated into every PEP session, with parents joining for 5-10 minutes at the beginning of each child session to discuss the child's progress and for another 5-10 minutes at the end to review newly introduced material.

Behavioral: Psychoeducational psychotherapy (PEP)

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Control group who received routine treatment and care.

Interventions

Psychoeducational psychotherapy (PEP) BEHAVIORAL

PEP is a structured, manualized, family-focused psychotherapy based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Participants were invited to participate in weekly parent and child sessions over a 12-week period. Each session lasted approximately 45-50 minutes, with a total of 24 sessions available throughout the trial. Parental involvement was incorporated into every PEP session, with parents joining for 5-10 minutes at the beginning of each child session to discuss the child's progress and for another 5-10 minutes at the end to review newly introduced material.

Psychoeducational psychotherapy (PEP)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 12 Years - 18 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Patients between the ages of 12 and 18 years who were diagnosed with BD (Bipolar Disorder)

You may not qualify if:

• Presence of chronic medical disorders, a clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, mental retardation or intellectual disability (according to developmental/academic history and clinical examination), past or current epilepsy, brain injury, and cerebral palsy

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Dokuz Eylul University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Dokuz Eylul University

Izmir, İzmir, 35620, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Kowatch RA, Fristad M, Birmaher B, Wagner KD, Findling RL, Hellander M; Child Psychiatric Workgroup on Bipolar Disorder. Treatment guidelines for children and adolescents with bipolar disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2005 Mar;44(3):213-35. doi: 10.1097/00004583-200503000-00006.

  PMID: 15725966 RESULT

• Bauer IE, Frazier TW, Meyer TD, Youngstrom E, Zunta-Soares GB, Soares JC. Affective Processing in Pediatric Bipolar Disorder and Offspring of Bipolar Parents. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2015 Nov;25(9):684-90. doi: 10.1089/cap.2015.0076. Epub 2015 Oct 15.

  PMID: 26468988 RESULT

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Bipolar Disorder; Emotional Regulation

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Bipolar and Related Disorders; Mood Disorders; Mental Disorders; Self-Control; Social Behavior; Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Doctor in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry department

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 1, 2026
• First Posted: February 9, 2026
• Study Start: January 24, 2017
• Primary Completion: December 23, 2022
• Study Completion: December 23, 2022
• Last Updated: February 10, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)