Evidence Based Treatments for Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents

Limited research has been devoted to developing and testing psychosocial treatments for bipolar disorder (BPD) in children and adolescents, a chronic and impairing mental illness that has received increased attention in recent years. Existing treatments are intended as adjuncts to medication, and share a family-based psychoeducation approach. Components of four treatments are discussed: family-focused treatment (FFT), the RAINBOW Program, multi-family psychoeducation groups (MFPG), and individual family psychoeducation (IFP). Evidence supporting each approach is detailed. Selected components of MFPG are described. A flowchart provides suggestions for sequencing interventions to maximize effectiveness. To illustrate the use of evidence-based treatment for children with BPD, a case example is provided.

Mary A. FristadEmail: