Improving Adherence in Adolescents and Young Adults With Bipolar Disorder

Although poor medication adherence occurs in more than 65% of adolescent and young adults (AYA) with bipolar disorder (BD) and is associated with poor recovery, high rates of relapse, and a 5.2 fold increased suicide risk, there have been no interventions that specifically target adherence in AYA with BD. This proposal will modify and test a customized adherence enhancement (CAE) intervention developed by the investigative team and found to be effective in BD adults in a high-risk, high-need group: AYAs with BD who are poorly adherent with prescribed BD medications. The project addresses the critical need for evidence-based interventions to improve adherence in AYAs with BD and has the potential to change outcome trajectories in high-risk young people with BD as they transition to adulthood.