Understanding of the psychosocial aspects of bipolar disorder
has advanced significantly in the past ten years through
attention to issues that affect the disorder and treatment
compliance (1) and stressors that may precipitate episodes (2).
Several factors have been identified as psychosocial predictors
of major affective recurrences, including inadequate social
support, maladjustment in leisure and social activities, and
inferior quality of relationships with extended family (3).
However, studies on perceived coping and major mental illness
have focused primarily on patients' families (4,5) and on
schizophrenia (6) rather than on patients with bipolar disorder.
More information is needed on how patients of various ethnic and
racial groups may differ in their perceptions of the coping
resources available to them. Better understanding of these
perceptions would be useful in developing culturally sensitive
interventions that strengthen areas of psychosocial impairment
and possibly decrease the likelihood of re