Efficacy of the interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT) in patients with bipolar disorder: results from a real-world, controlled trial
Open accessAbstract
Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) is one of the most burdensome mental disorder, with a lifetime prevalence of 2.4%, with a prevalence of 0.6% for bipolar type I and 0.4% for bipolar type II. Several interventions have been developed to implement the treatment strategy of bipolar disorder, including the Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT). This intervention has been specifically developed to manage patients’ stressful life events, improve the disruptions of social and circadian rhythms and increase adherence to medications. The aim of the present study is to assess the efficacy of IPSRT on affective and anxiety psychopathology, social functioning, response to pharmacological treatment and affective morbidity index (AMI) in BD patients. Methods: BD patients were consecutively recruited at the Mood Disorder Unit of the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli” and randomly assigned to the experimental group receiving the IPSRT or to the Treatment as Usual (TAU) group. Patients were assessed at baseline, after 3 and 6 months with several validated assessment tools and with the affective morbidity index. Results: At the end of the intervention, compared to controls, patients from the experimental group reported a significant improvement in anxious depressive and manic symptomatology, global functioning; and response to mood stabilizers. Patients in the IPSRT group reported a reduction at the AMI score. Conclusions: IPSRT has been confirmed to be effective in improving the clinical symptomology of BD patients and in improving the affective morbidity index. Further studies with longer follow-up are needed in order to assess the stability of the results. Trial registration The study was approved by the local ethical review board (N001567/28.01.2018)
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There is now randomised controlled trial evidence for Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy and for dark therapy using blue-blocking glasses.
“there is now RCT evidence for Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy [28, 29] and dark therapy using blue‐blocking glasses [30].”
From Essential Information About Chronobiology and Chronotherapy for the Optimal Care of People With Bipolar Disorders: An Expert Consensus (2026) · cites this paper as [29]
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Crouse, J. J., Loblay, V., Jorm, A., Wong, T. R., de Haan, Z., Gorban, C., Shin, M., Tonini, E., Aiken, C., Alloy, L. B., et al. (2026) · Bipolar Disorders · doi:10.1111/bdi.70141 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“…there are now at least eight randomised controlled trials (RCTs) suggesting its efficacy, safety, and tolerability in the treatment of bipolar depression [26, 27], and there is now RCT evidence for Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy [28, 29] and dark therapy using blue-blocking glasses [30].”
- Authors
- Steardo, L., Luciano, M., Sampogna, G., Zinno, F., Saviano, P., Staltari, F., Segura Garcia, C., De Fazio, P., & Fiorillo, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" (IT)
- Magna Graecia University (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Steardo, Luca
- Venue
- Annals of General Psychiatry
- Published
- 2020-03-09
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 15-15
- ISSN
- 1744-859X (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC7061484
- OpenAlex
- W4235341957
- Cited by
- 81
- References
- 54
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 4
- FWCI
- 6.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Update notices
- correction (2020-04-18)
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Annals of General Psychiatry (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca - Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
- Keywords
- bipolar disorder, interpersonal and social rhythm therapy, circadian rhythm, manic symptoms, depressive symptoms, anxiety, social functioning, medication adherence, psychotherapy efficacy
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