Evaluating the Effectiveness of Imagery Focussed Therapy

Mood variability is measured using the Affect Lability Score Short Version (ALS-18; Oliver & Simons, 2004). The ALS-18 is a self-report scale measuring lability in affect and consists of 18 items. Ratings are made on a 4-point scale with a maximum score of 72. Scores range from A= very characteristic of me (4 points), to D= very uncharacteristic of me (1 point).

• Level of depression, using the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS-SR) (Rush et al., 2003). The QIDS-SR is a 16-item self-report rating scale in which the nine DSM 5 symptoms of major depression are incorporated. Answers are rated on a four-point Likert scale (0-3).

• Level of mania, using the Altman Self-Rating Mania Scale (ASRM-NL) (Altman, Hedekker, & Peterson, 1997). The ASRM-NL is a 5 item self-report instrument to measure severity of mania symptoms. Answers are rated on a 5-point Likert scale, where higher scores indicate higher levels of mania. Total score ranges from 0 to 20, with a cut off score of 5 or more indicating relapse into mania.

• Level of anxiety, using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) (Osman, Barrios, Aukes, Osman, & Markway, 1993). The BAI is a 21-item self-report questionnaire used for measuring the severity of anxiety. Answers are rated on a 4-point Likert scale (0-3). Total scores range from o to 63, where scores of 22 or more indicate moderate anxiety, 36 or more concerning levels of anxiety.

participants rate their hopelessness using the Beck Hopelessness Scale (Beck, Brown, & Steer, 1997), The BHS is a 20 item self-report scale measuring three aspects of hopelessness: feelings about the future, motivation and expectations. The BHS demonstrates good internal consistency (alpha = .93) and has high reliability in psychiatric samples (Beck et al., 1997)

Participants rate their level of functioning using the Longitudinal Interval Follow up Evaluation - Range of Impaired Functioning Tool (Leon, et al., 1999). This is a brief scale for people suffering from affective disorders, measuring four different functional areas (employment, interpersonal relations, satisfaction and recreation) on a 5 point Likert scale (low rating imply higher functioning).

Mood variability, using daily measurements of both mania and depression with the National Institute of Mental Health Life Chart Methodology (NIMH-LCM) Prospective Self-Rating (Denicoff et al., 2000; Leverich and Post, 1998). Participants rate their mood (both mania and depression) on a 11-point likert scale, ranging from -4 (severe depression, admission required due to severe dysfunction) to 0 (stable mood) to +4 (severe mania, admission required due to severe dysfunction).

Anxiety is measured on a VAS scale indicating no anxiety (1) to severe anxiety (4).

This measured using a 42-item online Imagery Survey recently validated in a student sample, and presently used in an on-going current study comparing imagery aspects between patients suffering from BD, patients suffering from unipolar depression and imagery prone students without a present disorder. This is further assessed using the Mental Imagery and Coping with Bipolar Disorder Questionnaire (MICQ-BD) is a 14 item self-report instrument assessing patient's response to mental imagery on a five-point Likert scale, ranging from "not at all" to "a lot". In a pilot study Holmes (2016) calculated the internal conconsistency (alpha = .70) of this measure to be satisfactory (DiSimplicio et al., 2016).

Changes in target imagery are measured in order to test if reductions in moodvariablity compared to baseline (i.e. the primary objective) are mediated by reductions in levels of problematic imagery during treatment. The Visual Analogue Scales of Imagery Characteristics (VAS Imagery) have been tailored to BD population rating on a scale 0-9, for example such as: "How real / vivid / absorbing / preoccupying / compelling have your image(s) been over the past week'"; "To which extent could you understand the role that the image(s) play in your mood instability?"; "To which extent could you find positive / helpful way of using the image(s)?". Target imagery is measured weekly throughout the duration of the study in the imCT group.

Changes in general imagery are measured using the Mental Imagery and Coping with Bipolar Disorder Questionnaire (MICQ-BD) is a 14 item self-report instrument assessing patient's response to mental imagery on a five-point Likert scale, ranging from "not at all" to "a lot". In a pilot study Holmes (2016) calculated the internal conconsistency (alpha = .70) of this measure to be satisfactory (DiSimplicio et al., 2016).