Introducing flexibility in manualized treatments: Application of recommended strategies to the cognitive-behavioral treatment of bipolar disorder Original Research Article

Well-controlled treatment outcome studies have provided a wealth of evidence for the efficacy of specific manualized treatments for psychiatric disorders. In the face of these triumphs, there has been renewed attention to ways of modifying treatment manuals to better address the diverse needs of individuals. In this article we report on the application of recent recommendations for enhancing flexibility in manualized treatments. In particular, we discuss the use of phases and modules of treatment applied according to case-formulation worksheets to address the needs of patients with bipolar disorder. Case examples are used to illustrate the application of this modular treatment approach.