DEVELOPING FAMILY PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL TREATMENTS FOR PATIENTS WITH BIPOLAR AND OTHER SEVERE PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDERS - A PATHWAY FROM BASIC RESEARCH TO CLINICAL-TRIALS

Developing family treatments for patients with severe and persistent p sychiatric disorder begins at the basic research level, through identi fying psychosocial variables that have prognostic significance. Treatm ent protocols informed by this basic research can then be designed man ualized: and piloted. Next, the efficacy of a new treatment is examine d, first in a randomized trial and then, if successful, in a community effectiveness study. We describe this treatment development pathway i n a population for whom family attributes have prognostic importance p atients with bipolar affective disorder The methodological complexitie s of psychosocial treatment studies are many. Moreover the results of these studies often reflect interactions between treatment process, an d outcome variables.