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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 May 1.
Published in final edited form as: J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2013 Aug 8;43(3):339–355. doi: 10.1080/15374416.2013.822309

Table 2.

Review of Type 2 Randomized Controlled Trials of Family Psychoeducation Plus Skill Building for Pediatric Bipolar Spectrum Disorders

Investigators Sample Source, Measures, and Frequency Setting, Therapists Treatment Conditions Results
Fristad, Goldberg-Arnold, & Gavazzi (2002, 2003); Goldberg-Arnold, Fristad, & Gavazzi (1999) N = 35 children ages 8-11
77% male
88.5% White, Non-Hispanic, 2.9% White, Hispanic, 2.9% African American, 2.9% Southeast Asian, 2.9% Native American
BP I (12%), BP II (34%), DD (17%), or MDD (37%)
IQ > 70
Parents: UMDQ; EEAC
Child: SSS
Clinician: CASA
Baseline, 2- and 6-month follow-up
University medical center
1 LCP, 1 LISW, 1 postdoctoral trainee, 1 advanced doctoral student (child group co-therapist)
MF-PEP (6 75- minute parent and child multiple-family groups) + TAU (n = 18)
WLC + TAU (n = 17)
MF-PEP + TAU parents demonstrated positive consumer evaluation at 2-month follow-up, more improvement in family interactions and knowledge of mood disorders than WLC + TAU at 2- and 6-month follow-up, improved ability to obtain appropriate services than WLC + TAU at 6-month follow-up, and positive attitudinal shift at 6-month follow-up; MF-PEP + TAU children reported greater improvement in perceived social support from parents (but not peers) compared to WLC + TAU at 6-month follow-up
Fristad (2006) N = 20 children ages 8-11
85% male
90% White
BP I (40%), BP II (35%), or BP NOS (25%)
Parent: EEAC
Parent + Child: Therapy Evaluation Form
Clinician: Service Provider and Medication Usage Grids; MSI
Baseline, 6-, 12-, and 18-month follow-up
University medical center
1 postdoctoral trainee
IF-PEP (16 50-minute individual sessions alternating between parent and child) + TAU (n = 10)
WLC + TAU (n = 10)
IF-PEP + TAU children's mood symptoms improved following treatment (d = 0.45), with gains maintained through 12-month follow-up (d = 0.60), but not significantly more than WLC + TAU; expressed emotion improved significantly more for IF-PEP + TAU than WLC + TAU families; non-significant improvement in service utilization among IF-PEP + TAU families; positive consumer evaluations from parents and children following treatment

Note. BP = Bipolar Disorder; DD = Dysthymic Disorder; MDD = Major Depressive Disorder; IQ = Intellectual Quotient; UMDQ = Understanding Mood Disorders Questionnaire; EEAC = Expressed Emotion Adjective Checklist; SSS = Social Support Scale; CASA = Child and Adolescent Services Assessment; LCP = Licensed Clinical Psychologist; LISW = Licensed Independent Social Worker; MF-PEP = Multi-Family Psychoeducational Psychotherapy; TAU = Treatment as Usual; WLC = Waitlist Control; NOS = Not Otherwise Specified; MSI = Mood Severity Index (combines scores from the Young Mania Rating Scale and the Children's Depression Rating Scale – Revised); IF-PEP = Individual-Family Psychoeducational Psychotherapy.