Psychoeducation in bipolar disorder: A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe psychiatric disorder characterized by mood swings. Psychosocial interventions, such as psychoeducation, play an essential role in promoting social rehabilitation and improving pharmacological treatment. AIM: To investigate the role of psychoeducation in BD. METHODS: A systematic review of original studies regarding psychoeducation interventions in patients with BD and their relatives was developed. A systematic literature search was performed using the Medline, Scopus, and Lilacs databases. No review articles or qualitative studies were included in the analysis. There were no date restriction criteria, and studies published up to April 2021 were included. RESULTS: A total of forty-seven studies were selected for this review. Thirty-eight studies included patients, and nine included family members. Psychoeducation of patients and family members was associated with a lower number of new mood episodes and a reduction in number and length of stay of hospitalizations. Psychoeducational interventions with patients are associated with improved adherence to drug treatment. The strategies studied in patients and family members do not interfere with the severity of symptoms of mania or depression or with the patient's quality of life or functionality. Psychoeducational interventions with family members do not alter patients' adherence to pharmacotherapy. CONCLUSION: Psychoeducation as an adjunct strategy to pharmacotherapy in the treatment of BD leads to a reduction in the frequency of new mood episodes, length of hospital stay and adherence to drug therapy.