A Data-Driven Approach to Early Mental Health Screening in Offspring of Parents With Bipolar Disorder
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Summary
Bipolar disorder often runs in families, but early symptoms in youth can go unrecognized for years. This project evaluates a structured, family-centered approach to informed screening for youth ages 7-21 who have a biological parent with bipolar disorder. The main questions addressed by this project are: Whether a co-designed video decision aid improves caregiver understanding of bipolar disorder genetic risk and supports informed decisions about youth screening. Whether remote mental health screening tools are feasible and acceptable for youth with familial risk for bipolar disorder. Whether screening results can be used to identify early risk patterns and inform tailored follow-up recommendations. Participants may be involved in one or more study activities, including co-design of educational decision-aid content, feedback on decision-aid prototypes, beta testing of the decision aid, and remote youth mental health screening. The study does not assign treatment and does not change existing clinical care or clinic routines.
Description
Background and Rationale: Bipolar disorder (BD), characterized by acute mood fluctuations between manic and depressive states, affects approximately 5.7 million adults each year in the United States and is the fourth leading cause of disability among those aged 10-24 worldwide. BD is estimated to inflict an annual economic burden of $195 billion in the United States alone. Despite its high prevalence and significant impact on both disability and the economy, BD is typically diagnosed 11-17 years after symptom emergence. This results in delayed intervention, increased morbidity, and an elevate…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 7+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria for Group A - Parent with Bipolar Disorder: 1. Age: 18 years or older. 2. Confirmation of a lifetime Bipolar I or II diagnosis 3. Parent status: Has at least one biological child aged 7-21 years. 4. Capacity and willingness to consent: Able and willing to provide informed consent. 5. Study participation: Able to comply with study procedures (e.g., co-design sessions, interviews, assessments). 6. Language: Able to read, speak, and understand English. Inclusion Criteria for Group B - Adult Caregiver: 1. Age: 18 years or older. 2. Caregiver status: The adult primarily respon…
Interventions
- OtherCo-design Workshop (Observational Procedure)
Participants in the workshop will help to co-design decision aid prototypes (short video and FAQ document) focused on early mental health screening for youth with one or more biological parents impacted by BD.
- OtherAlpha Testing (Observational Procedure)
Participants will provide feedback on the initial version of the patient decision aid (short video and FAQ document).
- OtherBeta Testing (Observational Procedure)
Participants will provide feedback on the refined version of the patient decision aid (short video and FAQ document).
- OtherYouth Screening Pathway & Brief Follow-Up Interview (Observational Procedure)
Youth participants will take screening surveys for early bipolar risk detection.
Location
- UT Southwestern Medical CenterDallas, Texas