Children's Bipolar Network Treatment Trial I

OTHER

Medication or psychosocial treatment

Youth included in this naturalistic study will be offered medication management from study psychiatrists. The study's Network Oversight Committee, consisting of PI psychiatrists and consultants, has created guidelines on best practice medications, dosing, and adjustments for the study. The Network Oversight Committee will also offer ongoing consultation to study psychiatrists. The treating physician will take these guidelines and recommendations under consideration but will use clinical judgment and have the final say, in consultation with the parents and child, as to what treatments are prescribed. While psychosocial interventions are of interest as a predictor of outcomes, no universal psychotherapy or other psychosocial treatment will be provided by sites. There is no limitation on participant enrollment in psychosocial treatments. Investigators and their clinical partners may offer these interventions based on clinical judgment and availability.

Change in Adolescent Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation (A-LIFE) Psychiatric Status Ratings

Time frame: The measure will be administered at 0, 6, and 12 months.

The A-LIFE is a measure of severity of youth mood symptoms and episodes, including first episode onset, duration, recovery, and recurrence. Independent evaluators administer the A-LIFE interview to the youth and one parent, and rate each week of the prior 6 month interval (i.e., 6 months prior to intake) on Psychiatric Status Ratings (PSRs) of depression, hypomania, mania, and suicidality. The minimum and maximum Psychiatric Status Ratings values are 0 and 6 respectively, with higher Psychiatric Status Ratings meaning worse psychiatric severity.

Change in Children's Affective Lability Scale (CALS), Child and Parent Report forms

Time frame: The measure will be administered at 0, 6, and 12 months.

CALS is a measure of youth mood lability and yields subscores for elevation/activation, irritability, and anxiety-depression. It consists of 20 items covering the prior 3 months: "Suddenly becomes tense or anxious…has bursts of being overly affectionate or silly….starts to laugh or cry…suddenly appears sad, depressed, for no reason." The CALS uses a five level Likert scale, from 0 (never or rarely occurs) to 4 (occurs 1 or more times a day). Total score for the 20 items can vary from 0 to 80, with lower scores indicating a lesser degree of affective lability.

Change in Conflict Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ) scores, Child and Parent Report forms

Time frame: The measure will be administered at 0, 6, and 12 months.

The CBQ assesses the degree of aversive communication and conflict experienced in a child/parent dyad over the prior 3 months. The 20 scale items are rated "true/false" and cover argumentativeness (e.g., "At least three times a week, we get angry at each other"), frustration in communication, degree of empathy (e.g., "My mother understands me"), and relationship quality (e.g. "I don't think we get along very well"). The child fills out separate CBQs regarding conflict with each primary caregiver. Total scores range from 0 to 20. Higher scores represent more conflict including negative communications.

Kiddo-KINDL Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children, Child and Parent Reports forms

Time frame: The measure will be administered at 0, 6, and 12 months.

This Kiddo-KINDL is a measure of youth quality of life in five domains (Emotional Well-being, Self-esteem, Family, Social Contacts, School). Items (e.g., "I did things together with my friends") are rated by the adolescent and parent on a Likert scale from 1 (never) to 5 (all the time) for the past week. The parent form contains items that pertain to the youth's quality of life while the child form pertains to the youth patient. Subscales represent each domain with scores range from 4 to 20. Total scale scores range from 20 to 100. Higher scores on subscales or the total scale mean greater quality of life.

What is a clinical trial?

A clinical trial is a research study that tests new medical treatments, drugs, devices, or procedures to determine their safety and effectiveness. Trials are carefully designed and monitored to protect participants while advancing medical knowledge.

Is it safe to participate?

Clinical trials follow strict safety guidelines and ethical standards. Trials must be reviewed and approved, and participants are closely monitored by medical professionals throughout the study. You can withdraw at any time if you choose.

Will I be compensated?

Many clinical trials offer compensation for your time, travel expenses, and inconvenience. The specific compensation varies by study and will be discussed during the screening process. All study-related medical care is typically provided at no cost to participants.

Will I receive a placebo instead of treatment?

When effective treatment exists, participants typically receive either the standard treatment plus the study intervention, or the standard treatment plus placebo. You would not be denied effective care. Placebos are primarily used when no proven treatment is available, or in addition to standard care. Your trial consent form will clearly explain what treatments you may receive.

Can I leave a trial if I change my mind?

Absolutely. Participation in clinical trials is completely voluntary. You have the right to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.

How long does a clinical trial last?

Trial duration varies widely depending on the study design and purpose. Some trials last just a few weeks, while others may continue for months or years. The study coordinator will provide specific timeline information during your screening call.