Medical Science
Volume 24, Issue 102, March - April, 2020
Self-monitoring training effects on relapse in patients with bipolar disorder
Sepideh Herizchi1, Ali Fakhari1, Zhila Khamnian2, Fatemeh Dorosti1, Mostafa Farahbakhsh1, Negar Aghaei1♦
1Research Center of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
2Department of Community Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
♦Corresponding author
Research Center of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz,
Iran
Email: negar_aghaie@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Background: Bipolar Mood Disorder is a chronic relapsing disorder that affects patients' social and occupational function and quality
of life. More studies suggest that early diagnosis and intervention in Bipolar relapses had a better outcome. Objectives: The study
aimed to determine the efficacy of self-monitoring training on relapse in bipolar disorder type I. Patients and Methods: 70 patients
who met the criteria and gave informed consent to participate were randomly allocated to intervention and control groups. While
both groups received routine inpatient care, the intervention group received additional 20-minute self-monitoring training sessions
led by educated psychologists and researchers. After discharge, both groups were followed monthly by the researcher in the
outpatient clinic of Razi hospital. They also were given a telephone number to contact researchers if they had any questions. At the
end of 12 months of follow up, the number of Hospitalizations of all patients was recorded. Data were analyzed through the 16th
version of SPSS software. Results: After 12 months while in intervention group 11(31%) patients had at least one episode, this
measure in the control group was 20(57%) patients. This difference was statistically significant (P=0.03). Further analysis also
revealed a significantly lower relapse rate in the intervention group (P=0.028). Conclusion: Self-monitoring training seems to reduce
the relapse rate among patients suffering from BMD I.
Keywords: Bipolar Mood Disorder I, Self-monitoring Training, Relapse
Medical Science, 2020, 24(102), 876-883
