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Web-based integrated bipolar parenting intervention for parents with bipolar disorder: a randomised controlled pilot
Steven H Jones1, Jelena Jovanoska1, Rachel Calam2
1Spectrum Centre for Mental Health Research, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK.
Insights
This study shows that an online program improved parenting and child behavior for parents with bipolar disorder (BD). The Integrated Bipolar Parenting Intervention (IBPI) is feasible and shows promising results for families.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry and Mental Health
- Parenting Interventions
- Digital Health
Background:
- Bipolar disorder (BD) presents unique parenting challenges due to mood fluctuations affecting communication, impulse control, and motivation.
- A novel web-based intervention, the Integrated Bipolar Parenting Intervention (IBPI), was developed to support parents with BD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility and preliminary clinical outcomes of the IBPI for parents with BD.
- To evaluate the impact of IBPI on child behavior, parenting competence, parenting stress, family functioning, and parent mood.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial comparing IBPI plus treatment as usual (TAU) against a waitlist control (WL) group.
- Participants were parents with BD and children aged 3-10 years.
- Feasibility assessed via recruitment, retention, and web usage; clinical outcomes measured at multiple time points up to 48 weeks.
Main Results:
- High retention rates (98% to end of intervention, 90% to final follow-up).
- Significant improvements in child behavior, parenting sense of competence, and parenting stress for the IBPI group compared to WL, sustained to 48 weeks.
- No significant impact on family functioning, parent mood, or time to mood relapse.
Conclusions:
- The IBPI is a feasible online self-management support tool for parents with bipolar disorder.
- Promising improvements in parenting and child behavior outcomes suggest potential benefits.
- Further definitive clinical and cost-effectiveness trials are warranted to confirm these findings.
Background:
People with bipolar disorder (BD) experience additional parenting challenges associated with mood driven fluctuations in communication, impulse control and motivation. This paper describes a novel web-based self-management approach (Integrated Bipolar Parenting Intervention; IBPI) to support parents with BD.
Method:
Parents with BD with children aged 3-10 years randomised to IBPI plus treatment as usual (TAU) or waitlist control (WL). IBPI offered 16 weeks access to interactive self-management information concerning BD and parenting issues. Feasibility was through recruitment, retention and web usage. Clinical outcomes were assessed at baseline, 16, 24, 36 and 48 weeks.
Trial Registration Number:
ISRCTN75279027.
Results:
Ninety seven participants were recruited with 98% retention to end of intervention and 90% to final follow-up (56%-94% data analysed of retained participants; higher rates for observer measures). 77% of IBPI participants accessed the website (53% accessed parenting modules). Child behaviour, parenting sense of competence and parenting stress improved significantly in IBPI compared to WL to end of intervention, sustained to 48 weeks. Impacts of IBPI on family functioning, parent mood and time to mood relapse were not significant.
Conclusions:
Online self-management support for parents with BD is feasible, with promising improvements in parenting and child behaviour outcomes. A definitive clinical and cost-effectiveness trial is required to confirm and extend these findings.
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