NCT03658824

Behavioural Activation for Bipolar Depression: A Case Series

Behavioural Activation for Bipolar Depression (BA-BD): A Case Series Evaluation

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 12 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Exeter · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Bipolar Disorders affect around 2% of the population. Most people with Bipolar experience depression; these periods can cause difficulties with relationships, work and daily life. Psychological therapies for "unipolar" depression (for people who experience depression but never mania or hypomania) are widely available, but there is little research in to how effective these therapies are for people with Bipolar. Knowing this could give greater choice to people with Bipolar in terms of the therapy they have, and how easy it is to get within the NHS. One such therapy is called Behavioural Activation (BA). BA is an established therapy for people with unipolar depression. It helps people to re-establish healthier patterns of activity, but so far there is very little research into offering BA to people with BD. The current research involves a small number of people with Bipolar Depression receiving BA to see if it seems sensible and worthwhile to them, and to help us to make any necessary improvements to the therapy. The study is taking place in Devon and is sponsored by the University of Exeter. 12 people that are currently experiencing Bipolar Depression who choose to take part will receive up to 20 individual therapy sessions of BA that has been adapted for Bipolar Depression (BA-BD), and will complete regular questionnaires and interviews. The results of this study will not give the final answer on how effective BA is for people with bipolar depression, but will help to plan for a larger study that can answer this question.

Conditions

• Bipolar Depression

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Behavioural Activation (BA)	BA is based on the assumption that depression may be precipitated and is maintained by a reduction in "healthy", adaptive behaviours and positive reinforcement of these, and an increase in avoidance behaviours. Together, these changes reduce the person's immediate distress, often at the expense of their medium and longer term goals. The therapy involves helping the individual to re-establish healthy patterns of activity, and replace avoidance behaviours with more adaptive behaviours that are constructive in the longer term. The intervention consists of up to 20 individual therapy sessions of Behavioural Activation, with one booster session three months after the end of therapy. Each session lasts approximately 50 minutes and this is supplemented by home practice between sessions.

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-09-01
• Primary completion: 2021-03-31
• Completion: 2021-03-31
• First posted: 2018-09-05
• Last updated: 2021-04-28

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United Kingdom