Examining the effectiveness of group-based interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT) as an adjunctive treatment...

Bipolar disorder is fundamentally linked to a range of interpersonal issues, which significantly contribute to symptom exacerbation, recurrence, and even the risk of suicide. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of group-based Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) on mania, suicidal behaviors, and social adjustment in patients with bipolar disorder.

This quasi-experimental study included a pre-test, post-test, and a 3-month follow-up period, with a control group conducted in 2023-2024. Participants received two individual therapy sessions, six group sessions, and 12 weeks of telephone-based therapy. The sample consisted of 20 patients with bipolar disorder and a history of suicide attempts who were randomly assigned to either the experimental (n = 10) or control group (n = 10). The instruments used included the Young Mania Rating Scale, the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), and the Social Adjustment Scale. Data were then analyzed using SPSS-25. In descriptive statistics, the section reported frequency, standard deviation, and mean. The inferential statistics section reported an analysis of variance with repeated measures.

The findings indicated that IPSRT led to significant improvements in suicidal ideation and social adjustment among the participants (P < 0.01). The between-group effect sizes for suicidal thoughts and social adjustment were 0.61 and 0.29, respectively. Furthermore, while the therapy resulted in improvements in mania symptoms in the experimental group, the between-group effect size for mania was 0.14, which was not statistically significant (P = 0.11).

The results of this study support the positive effect of IPSRT in improving suicidal thoughts and social adjustment in patients with bipolar disorder and a history of suicide attempts.