The Effectiveness of the Overcoming Self-Stigma in Bipolar Disorder (OSSiBD) Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of an eight-week manualized program - Overcoming Self-Stigma in Bipolar Disorder (OSSiBD). Method: Individuals (N = 137) with BD were randomly assigned to an intervention condition (n = 69) or a waitlist control condition (n = 68). Self-stigma, depression, self-esteem, and life satisfaction were measured at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up. Results: Linear mixed model analyses showed that participants in the intervention condition reported greater reductions in self-stigma, depression, and greater improvements in self-esteem and life satisfaction at post-intervention than participants in the control condition, with medium to large effect sizes (d = 0.42-0.83). These differences were maintained at the follow-up for self-stigma and self-esteem, but not for depression or life satisfaction. Conclusions: OSSiBD may be a clinically effective intervention to combat self-stigma, depression, and improve self-image and well-being for individuals with BD.