Multimodal Intervention to Support Hospital-to-Community Transition in Bipolar Disorder

Sponsor
McMaster University
Study ID
NCT07213492
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

  • Bipolar Disorder (BD)
  • Psychosis

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - 35 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Group-Based Psychoeducation — BEHAVIORAL
    Participants attend a six-session, group-based psychoeducation program delivered over 8 weeks. Sessions focus on improving insight into bipolar disorder, relapse prevention, lifestyle strategies (e.g., sleep, nutrition, substance use), and digital literacy. The aim is to enhance understanding of illness and support long-term functioning.
  • Peer Support — BEHAVIORAL
    Trained peer support workers provide biweekly sessions over 6 months to participants. The sessions are based on the CANMAT/ISBD Patient and Family Guide and include emotional support, psychoeducation, and shared experience. Each participant receives up to 12 sessions aimed at improving engagement and understanding of illness.
  • Personalized Support for Community Healthcare Provider — BEHAVIORAL
    The research team provides two personalized support sessions over 6 months to each participant's healthcare provider (e.g., family doctor or psychiatrist). Support includes treatment recommendations based on the CANMAT/ISBD 2018 Guidelines and training on the C-IMPACT BD web-based clinical decision support tool.

Study Details

People with bipolar disorder (BD) are at high risk of relapse following hospital discharge, partly due to a lack of BD-specific expertise and resources within community services required for comprehensive treatment. Although clinical guidelines recommend combining medication and psychosocial support, and research shows that early intervention is associated with improved outcomes, no structured care programs currently exist for individuals in the early stages of BD, contributing to chronic illness progression and preventable hospitalizations. This open-label pilot trial will assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a structured care pathway to support the transition from hospital to community care. The intervention includes group-based psychoeducation, individual peer support, and personalized support for community healthcare providers to improve illness insight, treatment adherence, and symptom management.

Key Dates

First listed
Oct 9, 2025
Start date
Jun 1, 2026
Status verified
Jan 2026
Primary completion
May 1, 2027
Completion
May 1, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment
10 participants (estimated)
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Arms

  • Experimental: Multi-Modal Transitional Care Intervention
    Participants receive a 6-month structured intervention including: (1) 6 sessions of group-based psychoeducation, (2) biweekly peer support for individuals and families, and (3) two sessions of personalized clinical guidance for community healthcare providers.

Primary Outcome Measure

Feasibility of the Multi-Modal Transitional Care Intervention [ Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of intervention at 6 months. ]

Central Contacts

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