The goal of my research is to promote the systemic treatment bipolar disorder.
Using a sample of 57 couples, I measured diagnosed and non-diagnosed partners’ perceptions of attachment behaviors, symptoms of depression experienced by both partners, diagnosed partners' manic symptoms as predictors of dyadic adjustment. I matched partner responses and utilized dyadic analyses to statistically account for the interdependence of partner experiences. To increase the relevance of my research to couple’s therapy, I used dyadic analyses to statistically account for the interdependence of partner experiences.
Perceived attachment behaviors and symptoms of depression accounted for 60% of the variance in dyadic adjustment among diagnosed partners and 65% among non-diagnosed partners in my sample. Results suggest that therapy for couples with a bipolar diagnosed partner should increase attachment security and reduce depressive symptoms to improve partner adjustment, and that interventions focused on either goal are likely to result in progress toward the other. Systemic treatment protocols therefore have the potential to offer therapists a framework to integrate relationship enhancement and symptom reduction as one interwoven process in couple’s therapy. Results are also consistent with the systemic viewpoint that bipolar symptoms are only one factor relevant to dyadic adjustment and support the conceptualization of couples with a bipolar diagnosed partner, as opposed to only individuals, as a viable treatment population. |
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