title: Empirically supported psychosocial interventions for bipolar disorder: Current state of the research.
abstract: Bipolar disorder requires psychiatric medications, but even guideline-concordant treatment fails to bring many patients to remission or keep them euthymic. To address this gap, researchers have developed adjunctive psychotherapies. The purpose of this paper is to critically review the evidence for the efficacy of manualized psychosocial interventions for bipolar disorder.
  
  
  
  We conducted a search of the literature to examine recent (2007-present), randomized controlled studies of the following psychotherapy interventions for bipolar disorder: psychoeducation (PE), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), and family therapies such as family focused therapy (FFT).
  
  
  
  All of the psychotherapy interventions appear to be effective in reducing depressive symptoms. Psychoeducation and CBT are associated with increased time to mood episode relapse or recurrence. MBCT has demonstrated a particular effectiveness in improving depressive and anxiety symptoms. Online psychotherapy interventions, programs combining one or more psychotherapy interventions, and targeted interventions centering on particular symptoms have been the focus of recent, randomized controlled studies in bipolar disorder.
  
  
  
  Psychotherapy interventions for the treatment of bipolar disorder have substantial evidence for efficacy. The next challenge will to disseminate these psychotherapies into the community.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. Electronic address: ssalcedo@email.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salcedo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Alexandra K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gold
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychology, Suffolk University, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Sana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sheikh
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Nierenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Thilo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Deckersbach
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Louisa G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Sylvia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D036262:Empirical Research; D005196:Family Therapy; D006801:Humans; D064866:Mindfulness; D011613:Psychotherapy
keywords: Bipolar disorder; Cognitive behavior therapy; Dialectical behavior therapy; Family therapy; Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy; Psychosocial interventions