(PS5-4) Development of a Virtual Psychoeducation Tool for Bipolar Disorder: A User-centred Approach

Abstract Text:

Background: Psychoeducation can delay or prevent relapse and hospitalizations among people with Bipolar Disorder (BD) when provided as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy. To reduce barriers to care, this project aims to develop an accessible virtual psychoeducation tool based on evidence-based protocols and in line with best practice guidelines. To the authors’ knowledge, no studies have yet explored the use of virtual psychoeducation for BD in tertiary care patients. This project is being conducted at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, a tertiary care academic health centre in Canada.

Methods: This project uses a user-centred design approach, which is a method for developing programs that incorporates client and families’ perspectives throughout the development process. This approach allows intended users to influence how the program develops to increase usability and acceptability. A phased development process was used, including (1) Literature review and development of initial ideas for content, (2) Review of these ideas with an interdisciplinary working group and adaptation of the material so that it was more culturally relevant, and (3) Focus groups to assess stakeholder perspectives on the proposed content. From February to October 2023, five focus groups were conducted with clients with BD (2 groups, n = 11), staff (2 groups, n = 11), and care partners (1 group, n=1) to guide the development of the tool. The groups used a semi-structured interview protocol and feedback was sought on the content, cultural relevance, acceptability of the materials, and ideas for new content. Thereafter, a general inductive approach for qualitative data was applied to analyze the transcripts of the focus groups.

Results: Across stakeholder groups, participants were receptive to the proposed content. Focus group results revealed that topics were most helpful to include when they involved promoting illness management and relapse prevention and topics were less of a priority when they were deemed as less relevant to most clients. The following topics were identified by stakeholders as more of a priority to address: (1) Basic information on BD and how it is best treated, (2) The importance of taking medication, (3) Identifying early warning signs of mood episodes, (4) Coping and effective responses to mood episodes and developing an action plan, and (5) The importance of regular habits and managing stress. The topics of substance use health and special considerations for clients who menstruate were identified as the next most relevant. Rich feedback was also provided on the format, delivery, and how to make the tool more culturally appropriate.

Conclusions: This project aims to bridge research and practice through the development of a virtual psychoeducation tool for BD, co-produced with knowledge users. Content, format, and delivery considerations for the tool have been identified in line with existing evidence-based protocols and stakeholder feedback. Future steps will include production of the virtual program and conducting a small feasibility study to evaluate stakeholder satisfaction with the program. Clinical implications, limitations, and directions for future research will also be discussed.