title: Six-session caregiver psychoeducation on bipolar disorder: Does it bring benefits to caregivers?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of psychoeducational intervention on the levels of burden, of self-esteem and quality of life in caregivers of patients diagnosed with Bipolar Disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this randomized clinical trial, changes in degree of burden, levels of self-esteem and quality of life were evaluated. Caregivers could participate in the group of psychoeducation (six sessions) or usual treatment (without psychoeducation following a manual).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences regarding levels of objective burden between groups. Both groups presented improvement in subjective burden scores throughout the interventions. Objective burden scores showed significant reduction in the usual treatment group (p = .003) and a trend toward decrease in the psychoeducational intervention (p = .081). There are no differences regarding improvement in perceived self-esteem and quality of life when comparing means between the groups with and without intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A six-session caregiver psychoeducational intervention on bipolar disorder did not bring benefits to caregiver's health. A longer longitudinal follow-up study would be crucial to see whether there were differences in degree of burden, perceived self-esteem and quality of life over time in caregivers.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, Brasil marilia-ss@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Marília Silva
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ricardo Azevedo
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, Brasil.
authors.forename: Mariane Acosta Lopez
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.affiliation: Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, Brasil.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.affiliation: Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, Brasil.
authors.forename: Luana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Lima Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, Brasil.
authors.forename: Evelin Franco
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Kelbert
authors.affiliation: Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, Brasil.
authors.forename: Jennifer Mendes
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, Brasil.
authors.forename: Luciano Dias
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: de Mattos Souza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D001938:Brazil; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Bipolar disorder; caregivers; psychoeducation; therapeutics