Self-help tools, such as online management support, can help parents with bipolar disorder improve their relationship with their children, a study has revealed.

Lancaster University, which published the study, said the self-help approach has the potential to deliver an “accessible, non-stigmatising intervention”.

Researchers added that such tools require “very little professional support” and could be offered as a supplement to current services “without significant additional investment”.

The study looked at 97 parents with bipolar disorder who had children aged between three and 10 years.

Half of the group were given access to an online tool called the Integrated Bipolar Parenting Intervention (IBPI).

“IBPI is a new online intervention for parents with bipolar disorder with young children, combining self-management information about bipolar disorder with parenting information in an interactive format and is the only online intervention of this type we are aware of,” said the researchers.

The study found that child behaviour, parenting sense of competence, and parenting stress improved significantly in the group using IBPI for 48 weeks.

“Child behaviour problems improved significantly during access to IBPI sustained throughout follow-up,” they said.

“Parenting stress and confidence improved significantly during the intervention, sustained through follow-up.

“Dysfunctional parenting also improved during IBPI but more marginally as difference in slopes was not significant. Household disturbance did not change in either arm.”