Is family-focused therapy for youths at high risk for bipolar disorder effective in delaying mood disorder episodes?

Findings This randomized clinical trial included 127 youths (aged 9-17 years) with symptomatic mood disorder and a family history of bipolar disorder. For a mean of 2 years, youths at high risk for bipolar disorder who received 12 sessions of family-focused therapy (psychoeducation, communication, and problem-solving skills training) with their families had longer well intervals between mood episodes compared with youths who received less intensive family and individual psychoeducation.

Meaning The findings suggest that family-focused therapy is associated with longer times between mood episodes among youths at high risk for bipolar disorder.
Family skills-training for youths at high risk for bipolar disorder is associated with longer times between mood episodes. Clarifying the relationship between changes in family functioning and changes in the course of high-risk syndromes merits future investigation.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2758325