Stepping Back to Step Forward: Lessons From the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD)

Article Abstract Because this piece does not have an abstract,we have provided for your benefit the first 3 sentences of the fulltext. The purpose of the current article is toprovide a broad overview of the main findings of the SystematicTreatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD), sponsoredby the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). STEP-BD was amultisite, nationwide clinical research program designed to studytreatment effectiveness and phenomenology, course, and outcome in adults with bipolar disorder. The nature, scope, and overall design of theresearch program have previously been described. Entry criteria included meeting lifetime DSM-IV criteria for bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, bipolar disordernot otherwise specified, cyclothymia, or schizoaffective disorderbipolar type. Participants could enter the study in any mood state.