Early Identification of Bipolar Disorder – two population studies
Poster C126, Saturday, October 22, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, Le Baron
Matthias Schwannauer1,2, Helen Griffiths1,2; 1The University of Edinburgh, 2NHS Lothian, UK
Bipolar disorder and associated mood instability is a highly compromising condition characterized by high relapse rates associated with significant social and economic costs. Early identification of vulnerabilities to mood instability is crucial, yet bipolar disorders remain notoriously hard to diagnose and treat and long delays between onset and appropriate recognition and treatment are common. Study 1 was conducted with 2500 participants of whom 400 were considered to be at high risk of developing bipolar disorder. Risk level was determined by means of the Hypomanic Personality Scale. The results suggest that interpersonal functioning is fundamentally different in high and low risk groups and its quality is strongly associated with hypomanic tendencies. In addition they support the notion that developmental factors play a pivotal role in the manifestation of psychopathology, including bipolar disorder. They provide insight into what constitutes higher vulnerability to develop bipolar disorder, highlighting the importance of developmental aspects such as attachment, reflective functioning and emotion regulation as key components of early identification criteria. Study 2 describes the development and efficacy of IPT for adolescents at high risk for bipolar disorders. The results of this pragmatic RCT of CIT for adolescents at high risk of bipolar disorders indicate that IPT can be a highly effective treatment producing clear treatment effects on symptoms of mood related distress and relapse. The session will focus on the application of the CIT model to early bipolar disorder and examine the effects of treatment on core symptoms, coping styles and interpersonal problems.
Topic Area: Ultra High Risk / Prodromal Research