Group-based Psychoeducation for Relatives of Patients With Bipolar Disorder, a Randomized Controlled Trial

Relatives of patients with bipolar disorder (BD) often experience emotional burden with stress, and depressive symptoms that again increases the likelihood of destabilization and relapses in the patient. The effects of group-based psychoeducation have not been investigated in large-scale real-world settings. The investigators are currently conducting a large-scale real-world randomized controlled parallel group trial (RCT) to test whether group-based psychoeducation for relatives to patients with BD improves mood instability and other critical outcomes in relatives and the corresponding patients with BD. The trial is designed as a two-arm, parallel group randomized trial with a balanced randomization 1:1 to either group-based psychoeducation or a waiting list for approximately 4 months and subsequent group-based psychoeducation. the investigators plan to include 200 relatives. The group sizes for psychoeducation is between 20-40 relatives.The primary outcome measure is mood instability calculated based on daily smartphone-based mood self-assessment. Other relevant outcomes are measured, including patients' reported outcomes, assessing self-assessed burden, self-efficacy, and knowledge about BD.