Working with Children and Adolescents with Bipolar Disorder

Evidence shows that bipolar disorders often start in youth and are belatedly recognized and treated, causing significant (and partially avoidable) functional impairment and psychological distress. At the same time, growing evidence indicates that adjunctive psychosocial intervention for the treatment and maintenance of pediatric bipolar disorders is not only feasible and effective, but it is often essential to achieve best outcomes. After a brief overview of clinical manifestation and epidemiology of pediatric bipolar illness, this chapter provides a comprehensive description of the components of empirically supported psychological assessment and well-established treatments for both children and adolescents with bipolar disorder. Furthermore, the chapter reports on specific characteristics that distinguish child and adolescent psychotherapies from work with adults (e.g., treatment referrals, motivation for treatment, multi-informant approach, youth’s limited control of their environment, and the parents–therapist–patient therapeutic relationship), as well as on certain challenges and opportunities these features provide to the therapist.