The effect on psychological flexibility and impulsivity levels of psychoeducation based acceptance and commitment therapy in patients with bipolar disorder

This study is a randomised controlled experimental study conducted to determine the effect of Psychoeducation Based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on psychological flexibility and impulsivity levels in patients with bipolar disorder. The study, which was conducted in a state hospital, included 70 patients (Experimental: 35, Control: 35) in the euthymic mood diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The data of the study were obtained by "Personal Information Form", "Psychological Flexibility Scale" and "Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 Short Form". Psychoeducation based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy was applied to the experimental group as group (consisting of 5-7 people) education once a week for a total of 8 sessions. The control group did not receive any treatment other than routine treatment. In the analysis of the data, Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance was used to compare the scale scores and Fisher LSD was used for multiple comparisons of Group*Time interaction. The difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of descriptive characteristics was not statistically significant (p>0.05), both groups were homogenous. As a result of the study, a significant increase in psychological flexibility scale scores and a significant decrease in impulsivity scale scores were observed in the experimental group after Psychoeducation based ACT (p<0.05). No significant change was observed in the control group (p>0.05). ACT based psychoeducation was found to be effective in increasing psychological flexibility and decreasing impulsivity levels in patients with bipolar disorder. It is recommended that psychoeducation based on ACT be used by psychiatric nurses in the treatment of patients with bipolar disorder.