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Objective: To examine the impact of a treatment package combining Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) and cognitive remediation (CR), vs IPSRT alone, on cognition, functioning, and mood disturbance outcomes in mood disorders. Methods: A pragmatic randomised controlled trial in adults with bipolar disorder (BD) or major depressive disorder (MDD), recently discharged from mental health services in Christchurch, New Zealand, with subjective cognitive difficulties. Individuals were randomised to a 12‐month course of IPSRT with CR (IPSRT‐CR), or without CR (IPSRT). In IPSRT‐CR, CR was incorporated into therapy sessions from approximately session 5 and continued for 12 sessions. The primary outcome was change in Global Cognition (baseline to 12 months). Results: Sixty‐eight individuals (BD n = 26, MDD n = 42; full/partial remission n = 39) were randomised to receive IPSRT‐CR or IPSRT (both n = 34). Across treatment arms, individuals received an average of 23 IPSRT sessions. Change in Global Cognition did not differ between arms from baseline to treatment‐end (12 months). Psychosocial functioning and longitudinal depression symptoms improved significantly more in the IPSRT compared with IPSRT‐CR arm over 12 months, and all measures of functioning and mood symptoms showed moderate effect size differences favouring IPSRT (0.41–0.60). At 18 months, small to moderate, non‐significant benefits (0.26–0.47) of IPSRT vs IPSRT‐CR were found on functioning and mood outcomes. Conclusions: Combining two psychological therapies to target symptomatic and cognitive/functional recovery may reduce the effect of IPSRT, which has implications for treatment planning in clinical practice and for CR trials in mood disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale, aims and objectives Self-management of type 2 diabetes through diet, exercise and for many medications, are vital in achieving and maintaining glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes. A number of interventions have been designed to improve self-management, but the outcomes of these are rarely explored from a qualitative angle and even fewer through a process evaluation. Method A process evaluation was conducted using a qualitative design with participants randomized to an intervention. Seventy-three people living with type 2 diabetes and hyperglycaemia for a minimum of 1 year, randomized to one of two interventions (n = 34 to an education intervention and n = 39 to an education and acceptance and commitment therapy intervention) completed stage one of the process evaluation, immediately following the intervention through written feedback guided by open-ended questions. A purposive sample of 27 participants completed semi-structured interviews at 3 and 6 months post intervention. Interview data were transcribed and data analysed using a thematic analysis. Results The majority of participants described an increase in knowledge around diabetes self-management and an increased sense of personal responsibility. Participants also described changes in self-management activities and reflected on the challenges in instigating and maintaining change to improve diabetes management. Conclusion The complexities of implementing change in daily life to improve glycaemic control indicate the need for ongoing support post intervention, which may increase and maintain the effectiveness of the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the issues associated with the use of Internet video conferencing in delivering Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) for people discharged from mental health services with mood disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics discussed include the positive aspects of using the Zoom platform such as continuity of care, and the invasion of privacy issue cited by some patients due to the perception that using Zoom means therapists are entering their house.

Background Methods Results Limitations Conclusion There has been increasing interest in examining the potential moderating effects that cognitive functioning has on treatment outcome in bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). Therefore, the aim of this exploratory study was to examine the relationship between baseline cognitive function and treatment outcome in individuals with mood disorders who completed 12 months of interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT), and were randomised to receive adjunctive cognitive remediation (CR) or no additional intervention.Fifty‐eight patients with mood disorders (BD, n = 36, MDD, n = 22), who were randomised to IPSRT‐CR or IPSRT, underwent cognitive testing at baseline and completed follow‐up mood measures after 12 months. General linear modelling was used to examine the relationship between baseline cognitive function (both objective and subjective) and change in mood symptom burden, and functioning, from baseline to treatment‐end.Poorer baseline attention/executive function was associated with less change in mood symptom burden, particularly depressive symptoms, at treatment‐end. Additionally, slower psychomotor speed at baseline was associated with less improvement in mania symptom burden. Subjective cognitive function at baseline was not related to change in mood symptom burden at treatment‐end, and neither objective nor subjective cognitive function was associated with functional outcome.Due to the exploratory nature of the study, there was no correction for multiple comparisons.Aspects of objective cognitive function were associated with treatment outcomes following psychotherapy. Further large‐scale research is required to examine the role that cognitive function may have in determining various aspects of mood disorder recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]