Behavioral Activation Therapy Added to Usual Treatment for Adults With Bipolar Depression

What this Trial Is About

Bipolar disorder affects 1-3% of people worldwide and involves episodes of mania or hypomania along with periods of depression that can disrupt daily life. While psychological therapies exist for depression without mania, there is limited research on their effectiveness for bipolar depression. Behavioral activation therapy BA, proven effective for unipolar depression, aims to help people restore healthier activity patterns and improve mood stability in bipolar disorder. This study evaluates the feasibility and pilot effectiveness of BA adapted for bipolar depression BA-BD among people seeking treatment at a specialized bipolar disorder service. Participants will receive up to 20 individual sessions of BA-BD therapy, each about 50 minutes, plus one booster session three months after therapy ends. The study uses a randomized wait period design where participants start therapy after waiting 2, 3, 4, or 5 weeks from baseline assessment. BA-BD is provided alongside usual treatment to see if it can be effectively integrated as an additional therapy for bipolar depression. During the study, participants complete regular questionnaires and interviews to assess changes in depression symptoms, activity levels, and sleep using health devices. Researchers will monitor therapy uptake, completion rates, and any adverse reactions over an average of 7 months. Various scales measuring mania, depression, anxiety, quality of life, and behavioral activation will be used to evaluate outcomes and safety throughout the study period.

Behavioural Activation for Bipolar Depression