Sue Cotton1,2, Craig Macneil1,2,3, Henry Jackson4, Greg Murray5, Aswin Ratheesh1,2,3, Michael Berk1,2,6,7,8, Andrew Chanen1,2,3, Kate Filia1,2, Melissa Hasty1,2,3, Christopher Davey1,2,3, Barnaby Nelson1,2,3; 1Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, 2Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Parkville, Australia, 3Orygen Youth Health, Parkville, Australia, 4Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia, 5Department of Psychological Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia, 6School of Medicine, Deakin University and Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia, 7The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville Australia, 8Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville Australia
Background: People with bipolar disorder too commonly experience deficits in functional recovery, despite symptomatic recovery and exemplary school performance. The outcome of this is poor long-term functional outcomes. Applying psychological therapies alongside pharmacology may be useful in improving functional outcomes. Our group has led growing international interest in a staged approach to understanding illness trajectories of bipolar disorder with different psychological and pharmacological therapies required for the different stages of illness. Intervention in the early stages may potentially reduce the burden and risk associated with the disorder, and mitigate its impact on normal developmental trajectories. To date, however, there is a limited evidence base psychological therapies available to young people with early BD. Methods: RECOVER is an RCT of a refined existing psychological intervention, to be delivered in addition to treatment as usual at two specialist early intervention services in Melbourne. 122 young people in the early stages of BD-I will be recruited. The RECOVER intervention will be delivered over a 6 month period. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 months. Results: The trial design will be discussed in depth. Conclusion: To date, there is a limited evidence base for psychological therapies available to young people with early BD. Therefore, the findings of this project will provide definitive evidence that early psychological intervention in the course of BD can reduce the symptomatic, vocational, relationship and psychological impact that is seen in entrenched disorder.
