the effectiveness of metacognitive therapy on family functioning in parents with a child diagnosed with bipolar ii disorder

Background: bipolar ii disorder is a chronic mental health condition characterized by recurrent depressive and hypomanic episodes, significantly affecting individuals and their families. objectives: this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of metacognitive therapy (mct) in improving family functioning among parents of children diagnosed with bipolar ii disorder. methods: a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test, and 3-month follow-up design with a control group was employed. the population included parents of children diagnosed with bipolar ii disorder seeking counseling services in isfahan, iran, in 2023. a convenience sample of 30 parents was randomly assigned to either an mct group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). the mct group received 8 weekly 120-minute sessions, while the control group received no intervention during the study period and remained on a waiting list. family functioning was assessed using the family functioning scale at pre-test, post-test, and 3-month follow-up. data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and repeated measures analysis of variance (anova) in spss version 26. results: repeated measures anova revealed a significant main effect of mct on family functioning, f = 67.41, p < 0.001, with improvements in problem-solving, communication, roles, affective responsiveness, affective involvement, behavioral control, and general functioning at post-test (p < 0.001). these gains were maintained at follow-up (p < 0.001), indicating sustained intervention effects. conclusions: metacognitive therapy significantly enhances family functioning among parents of children with bipolar ii disorder, offering a promising adjunct to pharmacological treatments. these findings suggest mct could improve family resilience and coping, with implications for clinical practice by supporting family-centered interventions. future research should explore long-term outcomes and patient-parent combined interventions to further validate and extend these results.