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 2 weeks 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. GonzalezIsasi
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 remis