An interventional study of CBT-Based Psychological Resilience Enhancement Program for Individuals with BD in Bipolar Affective Disorder; Remission in, sponsored by Cumhuriyet University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 18 Years to 60 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-06.
Sponsored by Cumhuriyet University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic and recurrent mood disorder characterized by alternating episodes of mania, depression, or mixed states, interspersed with periods of remission. These episodes can severely impair interpersonal relationships, occupational functioning, and overall quality of life. In 2019, approximately 40 million people worldwide were diagnosed with BD.
BD is a lifelong chronic condition despite pharmacotherapy and lifestyle changes. Traditional psychiatric care has primarily focused on symptom reduction and relapse prevention, often overlooking broader psychosocial aspects such as interpersonal functioning and life satisfaction. Recently, recovery has come to include living a meaningful life despite illness-related challenges.
Psychological resilience has gained prominence within this recovery framework. It refers to the capacity to adapt positively to adversity, shaped by both internal traits and external supports. Core elements include effective coping, adaptability, and recovery from stress, which support functional outcomes in mental illness.
Given the strong link between stress and relapse in BD, resilience is thought to play a critical role in illness trajectory. Research consistently shows that individuals with BD have lower resilience than healthy controls, and resilience is associated with fewer depressive symptoms and better quality of life.
Importantly, resilience is modifiable and can be enhanced through psychosocial interventions. Studies highlight the benefits of resilience-building programs in reducing depressive vulnerability and improving life satisfaction and emotion regulation. Among these, CBT effectively promotes cognitive and functional recovery in BD by targeting maladaptive thought patterns and building adaptive coping skills.
Despite growing evidence, few CBT-based interventions target resilience in individuals with BD. However, resilience is linked to key psychosocial competencies such as problem-solving, self-efficacy, assertiveness, and self-management. Based on this, the current study implemented a CBT-based Psychological Resilience Enhancement Program designed to strengthen adaptive coping and functional adjustment in individuals with BD.
Considering the substantial personal and societal burden of BD, enhancing psychological resilience is a critical therapeutic goal. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a CBT-based intervention on psychological resilience and quality of life in individuals with BD.
1,601 studies on the registry are indexed under Bipolar Disorder; 254 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 22 is below the median of 64 across 1,223 interventional studies indexed under Bipolar Disorder.
Browse Bipolar Disorder studies →Cumhuriyet University is the lead sponsor of 128 studies on the registry; 25 are open to participants now.
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The control group simply continued treatment. In Türkiye, standard treatment consists of medication use, prescriptions every three to six months, and outpatient check-ups for laboratory tests such as drug levels. In the study, however, patients in the control group were interviewed, their questions about their illness and treatment were answered, and their general condition was assessed. Treatment adherence levels were determined based on their remission status. It consists of a total of 12 individuals with bipolar disorders
The intervention is based on the assumption that individuals with high psychological resilience cope better with psychosocial stressors, return to normal life more quickly after stressful events, adapt more easily to new situations, and can continue their lives even under difficult circumstances. An individual diagnosed with bipolar disorder who increases their psychological resilience will both prevent the triggering of attacks and gain skills to manage the symptoms of the illness. The program was designed focusing on areas emphasized in resilience theory, which can be developed and modified through education and life experience, and which also fall within the scope of cognitive behavioral therapy. These are internal locus of control, self-management, cognitive evaluation, social skills, social support, positive mood, stress management, and problem-solving skills. The intervention was each targeting specific therapeutic goals using relevant CBT techniques in 8weekly
Behavioral: CBT-Based Psychological Resilience Enhancement Program for Individuals with BD
Session 1 (Psychoeducation): Enhancing knowledge and insight regarding Bipolar Disorder via Socratic questioning and case formulation. Session 2 (Locus of Control): Shifting belief from external determinism to an internal locus of control using pie charts and didactic instruction. Session 3 (Self-Management): Acquiring skills to manage early warning signs and high-risk behaviors. Session 4 (Coping with Stress): Developing and implementing effective coping strategies. Session 5 (Problem-Solving): Utilizing a structured approach to resolve daily life problems. Session 6 (Thoughts and Emotions): Identifying emotional reactions to stimuli using the downward arrow technique, playing devil's advocate, and imagery. Session 7 (Realistic Thoughts): Fostering cognitive flexibility through examining evidence and evaluating thought functionality. Session 8 (Social Skills): Establishing external support systems to reinforce self-esteem and self-efficacy via role-playing.
Also known as: Intervention group
Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC)
Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC): Developed by Connor and Davidson in 2003 to measure individuals' psychological resilience, this scale primarily focuses on stress, coping, and adaptability. It is a 25-item, five-point Likert-type scale, with each item evaluated between 0 and 4, ranging from "not true at all" (0 points) to "true nearly all the time" (4 points). The maximum achievable score on the scale is 100. Higher scores denote greater psychological resilience, whereas lower scores indicate reduced resilience. During its development phase, the scale was administered to both normative and clinical populations. Data collected face-to-face via clinical interview
Time frame: Baseline, 9 week and 21. week
Brief Quality of Life in Bipolar Disorder Scale (Brief QoL.BD)
Brief Quality of Life in Bipolar Disorder Scale (Brief QoL.BD): Developed by Michalak and Murray (2010) to evaluate the quality of life in patients with bipolar disorder. It is a 12-item quality of life scale specifically designed for bipolar disorder. It comprises one item for each of the following core domains: physical health, sleep, mood, cognition, leisure, social relationships, spirituality, finances, household, self-esteem, independence, and identity. The scale is rated on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 ("strongly disagree") to 5 ("strongly agree"), yielding a total score between 12 and 60. Higher scores indicate a better quality of life. Data collected face-to-face via clinical interview
Time frame: Baseline, 9. week and 21. week
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI): This scale consists of 21 items designed to measure the affective, somatic, cognitive, and motivational symptoms of depression, with each item scored on a scale from 0 to 3. The total possible score ranges from 0 to 63. The assessment is based on the cumulative score obtained from all items, where higher scores indicate greater depression severity. In the present study, the BDI was utilized to verify the remission status required for the inclusion of patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Patients who scored 17 or lower on the inventory were included in the research. Data collected face-to-face via clinical interview
Time frame: Baseline, 9. week and 21. week
Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS)
Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS): Developed by Young et al. in 1978, this scale is utilized to assess the severity of manic states. It comprises 11 Likert-type items, each assessing symptom severity across five levels. The total score ranges from 0 to 60, with higher scores denoting increased mania severity. In the current study, the YMRS was employed to confirm the remission status necessary for the inclusion of patients with bipolar disorder. Patients obtaining a score of 5 or lower on the scale were eligible for inclusion. Data collected face-to-face via clinical interview
Time frame: Baseline, 9. week and 21. week
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