Discussion
The preliminary findings suggest that IPSRT-G delivered
adjunctive to medication in an intensive 2-week program is
feasible and may contribute to improved depressive symptoms
and maintenance of improvement at 12 weeks for
women with bipolar disorder. The trend toward improvement
in mania scores supports the overall-mood-stabilizing
benefit of IPSRT-G and the unlikelihood that depression
switching to mania is responsible for the outcome. Despite
improvement, only 33% met remission criteria at 2weeks and
16% met remission criteria at 12 weeks.
Improved functioning (SDS) was first significant at 12
weeks which may reflect the need for a period of symptom
improvement prior to a change in functioning. Gonzalez-
Isasi et al. (2010) reported improved functioning after
cognitive–behavioral group therapy 12 months after treatment,
but not immediately after treatment or at 6 months.
Notably, IPSRT-G participants improved in functioning
despite only 16% of participants meeting criteria for remission of depressive symptoms. The IPSRT focus on management
of interpersonal stressors and establishment of daily
routines may directly improve social, occupational,and home
functioning despite symptom persistence. Frank et al. (2008)
indicate “simply treating the symptoms of the disorder does
not often yield satisfactory results in the wider domains of
psychosocial and occupational functioning”(p. 1562). Identifying
factors that improve functioning is an opportunity for
further research. Obtaining data regarding functioning,
symptoms, and social rhythm regularity at 6-month intervals
over a 2-year period might provide further understanding of
how social rhythms and symptoms impact functioning.
Comparing the 2-week IPSRT-G program to a 3-week
IPSRT-G program, weekly IPSRT-G, and individual IPSRT
might determine if symptoms or functioning differ with these
treatment delivery modalities.