Barriers to and facilitators of success for early and Mid-Career professionals focused on bipolar disorder: A global needs survey by the International Society for Bipolar Disorders

Sarah H Sperry; Katie M Douglas; Olivia M Dean; Gabriel R Fries; Fabiano A Gomes; Georgina M Hosang; Emma Morton; Bronya Sandorffy; Tamsyn E Van Rheenen; Ni Xu; Rebekah S Huber

doi:10.1111/bdi.13365

Barriers to and facilitators of success for early and Mid-Career professionals focused on bipolar disorder: A global needs survey by the International Society for Bipolar Disorders

Bipolar Disord. 2023 Aug;25(5):379-390. doi: 10.1111/bdi.13365. Epub 2023 Jun 30.

Authors

Sarah H Sperry¹, Katie M Douglas², Olivia M Dean^{3

4}, Gabriel R Fries⁵, Fabiano A Gomes⁶, Georgina M Hosang⁷, Emma Morton⁸, Bronya Sandorffy¹, Tamsyn E Van Rheenen^{9

10}, Ni Xu^{11

12

13

14}, Rebekah S Huber^{15

16}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
² Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
³ Deakin University and Barwon Health, IMPACT, The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Deakin University and Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia.
⁴ Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
⁵ Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
⁷ Centre for Psychiatry & Mental Health, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary, University of London, UK.
⁸ Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Canada.
⁹ Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
¹⁰ Centre for Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University, Melbourne, Australia.
¹¹ Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, China.
¹² Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China.
¹³ NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, China.
¹⁴ National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China.
¹⁵ Department of Psychiatry, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
¹⁶ Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA.

PMID: 37391923
DOI: 10.1111/bdi.13365

Abstract

Introduction: The International Society for Bipolar Disorders created the Early Mid-Career Committee (EMCC) to support career development of the next generation of researchers and clinicians specializing in bipolar disorder (BD). To develop new infrastructure and initiatives, the EMCC completed a Needs Survey of the current limitations and gaps that restrict recruitment and retention of researchers and clinicians focused on BD.

Methods: The EMCC Needs Survey was developed through an iterative process, relying on literature and content expertise of workgroup members. The survey included 8 domains: navigating transitional career stages, creating and fostering mentorship, research activities, raising academic profile, clinical-research balance, networking and collaboration, community engagement, work-life balance. The final survey was deployed from May to August 2022 and was available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Chinese.

Results: Three hundred participants across six continents completed the Needs Survey. Half of the participants self-identified as belonging to an underrepresented group in health-related sciences (i.e., from certain gender, racial, ethnic, cultural, or disadvantaged backgrounds including individuals with disabilities). Quantitative results and qualitative content analysis revealed key barriers to pursuing a research career focused on BD with unique challenges specific to scientific writing and grant funding. Participants highlighted mentorship as a key facilitator of success in research and clinical work.

Conclusion: The results of the Needs Survey are a call to action to support early- and midcareer professionals pursuing a career in BD. Interventions required to address the identified barriers will take coordination, creativity, and resources to develop, implement, and encourage uptake but will have long-lasting benefits for research, clinical practice, and ultimately those affected by BD.

Keywords: barriers; bipolar disorder; early career; facilitators; midcareer; needs assessment.

MeSH terms

Bipolar Disorder* / therapy
Humans
Mentors
Surveys and Questionnaires