Holistic Quality of Life Intervention (HQLI) for Women having Bipolar II Disorder:A Pilot Study

Abstract

Bipolar II is a mood disorder characterized by shift in mood, energy and activity level due to remitting/relapsing episodes of hypomania and major depression. In general, on-going depressive symptoms in the bipolar patients are widely connected with impairment in various realms such as academic or occupational functioning, duties at home, psychological well-being and interpersonal relationship with family members, friends, and others. Consequently, the patients suffer from poor quality of life. Recognizing the need of a holistic adjunct therapeutic intervention for women with bipolar II disorder who are suffering from enduring depressive symptoms, the researcher developed the 'Holistic Quality of Life Intervention' (HQLI) integrating the Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Theory and Stress-Buffering Model of Social Support. The intervention was subjected to expert's validation by seven inter-disciplinary experts and a feasibility test was conducted with ten women diagnosed with bipolar II disorder who were in moderate level of depression and poor quality of life. The intervention was positively received by the participants and the results of the pilot study displayed significant decrease in depression and increase in quality of life among the participants.