Relatives’ coping strategies – an essential element for the recovery of patients with severe mental disorders – are grouped in problem-oriented and emotion-focused. The former include practical strategies to deal with the stressful situation and are associated with a better long-term outcome of patients and relatives; the latter are psychologically driven and are associated with a worse outcome. It has been reported that psychoeducational family intervention (PFI) can improve problem-oriented coping strategies, while few data are available on relatives of patients with bipolar disorder.

To assess the impact of the PFI on promotion of problem-oriented coping strategies adopted by relatives of patients with bipolar I disorder.

This study was conducted in 11 Italian mental health centers. Patients and their relatives were allocated to the experimental group receiving PFI or to the control group (waiting list). Before starting the intervention and at the end of the PFI, coping strategies were assessed using the family coping questionnaire.

Of the 139 recruited families, 72 families were allocated to the experimental group and 67 to the control group. Relatives from the experimental group reported a significant improvement in problem-oriented coping strategies, such as positive communication (P < .01) and searching for information (P < .05). On the other hand, a reduction in collusion (P < .0001), avoidance (P < .01) and resignation (P < .001) were found at the end of the intervention.

PFI is effective in promoting the coping strategies in relatives of patients with bipolar I disorder and it should be given routinely in mental health centers.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.