AUTHOR=Buizza Chiara , Candini Valentina , Ferrari Clarissa , Ghilardi Alberto , Saviotti Francesco Maria , Turrina Cesare , Nobili Gianluigi , Sabaudo Margherita , de Girolamo Giovanni 

TITLE=The Long-Term Effectiveness of Psychoeducation for Bipolar Disorders in Mental Health Services. A 4-Year Follow-Up Study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00873

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00873

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Aims:</bold> The aims of the present study were to assess: the effectiveness of psychoeducation in mental health service (MHSs) in terms of time to first hospitalization during 4-year follow-up; the number and the days of hospitalizations, and the number of people hospitalized at 4-year follow-up; and variables associated with better outcome in BD patients.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> This is a controlled study involving an experimental group (N = 57) and a control group (N = 52). The treatment phase consists of 21 weeks, in which all participants received TAU, while the experimental group received additional psychoeducation.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> The survival analysis showed significant differences in terms of time to first hospitalization of up to 4-year follow-up: the patients in the psychoeducation group showed a longer time free from hospitalizations than the control group. Concerning the predictors of time to first hospitalization, the only factor that showed a trend to statistical significance was psychoeducation.</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> This is one of few studies assessing the long-term effectiveness of psychoeducation in a naturalistic setting. The data confirm that psychoeducation can impact illness course, in terms of longer time free from hospitalizations.</p><p><bold>Trial registration:</bold> ISRCTN17827459</p>