Investigation of the Effectiveness of a Brief Group Psychoeducation Program for Bipolar Disorder

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K13948
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Clinical psychology
• Research Institution: Tokyo Women's Medical University
• Principal Investigator: INOUE Atsuko 東京女子医科大学, 医学部, 臨床心理士 (90459660)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 心理教育 / 集団心理教育 / 双極性障害 / 再発予防 / セルフエフィカシー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A single-arm study of short-term group psychoeducation for bipolar disorder was conducted. The completion rate was 89.1%, and the number of relapses, as measured by hospitalization due to worsening symptoms, was significantly reduced in the 2 years before and after program participation. No worsening of manic or depressive symptoms was observed before or after participation. Participants were highly satisfied with the program, and self-efficacy improved significantly after participation. These results suggest that this program has a certain efficacy in preventing relapse in Japanese outpatients with bipolar disorder.
The results of the qualitative study revealed that the program was not only beneficial for disease management, but was also an experience in which participants faced themselves and reconstructed the way they dealt with their illness in the encounter with others.

Free Research Field

臨床心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、双極性障害を対象とし、短期集団心理教育の再発予防効果を統計学的に検討した我が国最初の研究である。本結果により、我が国の外来通院中の双極性障害患者を対象とした、短期集団心理教育の安全性と有益性が示唆された。また質的研究の結果から、短期集団心理教育の参加者が経験する変化のプロセスが明らかとなった。このことから本結果は、我が国の双極性障害患者が選択できる治療の1つとしての集団心理教育の普及を進め、また集団心理教育の効果をより引き出す構成や運営の在り方を検討する一助となると考えられる。