Flexible Applications of Family-Based Therapy for Youth with Bipolar Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

Bipolar spectrum disorders (BPSD) affect approximately 3.9% of youth and are associated with meaningful impairments across social, academic, and family domains. Early psychosocial treatment, in conjunction with psychotropic intervention, can ameliorate the negative impact of symptoms by equipping youth and their families with knowledge and skills to promote understanding and management of the disorder, leading to improved short- and long-term outcomes. Family-focused treatment for adolescents (FFT-A), family-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (CFF-CBT), and psychoeducational psychotherapy (PEP) represent a well-established class of manual-based interventions that have been found to improve mood symptoms and family functioning through the use of family psychoeducation and skill building. We detail and discuss the core components of these interventions, with a specific focus on how treatment components can be successfully adapted and delivered to ensure an individualized approach for optimal care. Flexibility is further illustrated by a depiction of ways in which PEP has been adapted to meet practical needs of families and clinicians while maintaining fidelity to the intervention.