Psychosocial and other nonbiological therapies and interventions Family treatment in child and adolescents with bipolar disorder: two case samples

Bipolar disorder has a chronic course and causes functional impairment and decreased quality of life. Several studies have been conducted focusing on holistic, biopsychosocial approaches to the treatment of children and adolescents. Psychosocial treatments for children and adolescents with bipolar disorder focus on decreasing affective morbidity, achieving functional recovery and enhancing the ability to regulation emotions when faced with environmental stressors, including those within the family context. One of these approaches, Family Focused Treatment (FFT) was developed in the US and was recently adapted in Turkey for use with adolescents with bipolar disorder. It is composed of three parts: psychoeducation, communication enhancement training, and problem-solving skills training. We discuss two FFT cases that had been treated within an open trial in our outpatient unit. An upcoming randomized trial of FFT will test the generalizability of this approach across cultural contexts.