The New Wave of Bipolar Disorder Resources: Accessible and Beginner-Friendly

Bipolar disorder resources are abundant, yet most assume a reader who already commands psychological terminology and college-level literacy, leaving many spouses, parents, and friends unsure how to help when a loved one is diagnosed. This thesis addresses that gap by designing, building, and evaluating the Bipolar Support Network (BSN), a publicly available website that explains the disorder in plain language, models evidence-based support strategies, and offers a moderated peer forum. The project began with a systematic review of 40 high-ranking online materials and two flagship print guides. Readability analyses (Flesch-Kincaid, SMOG) and qualitative content coding revealed that 78% of existing resources exceed a tenth-grade reading level, rely heavily on jargon, and rarely speak to carers’ emotional needs. Drawing on health-literacy scholarship, visual-communication principles, and first-person experience, BSN was then prototyped on Wix and iteratively refined with usability testing (n = 12 carers) until ≥ 90 % of testers could locate crisis information and describe two concrete support actions in under three minutes. Key design features include: (1) five icon-rich infographics that condense complex topics such as hypomania vs. mania; (2) tabbed pages that layer information from “starter” definitions to deeper dives, maintaining a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of 7.8; (3) a three-channel community forum (Q&A, BSN Blog, General Discussion) that fosters mutual aid while preserving anonymity; and (4) an adaptive color palette (black, white, mental-health green) chosen for high contrast and calm affect. Post-launch analytics from the first eight weeks show a 4:37 average session duration and forum uptake by 38 registered members across five countries. By pairing rigorous needs analysis with user-centered web design, the thesis demonstrates a scalable model for translating specialized mental-health knowledge into accessible, actionable tools—empowering carers and, ultimately, improving outcomes for individuals living with bipolar disorder.