Review of psychology, Vol. 17 No. 2, 2010.
Original scientific paper
Affective temperaments and trait impulsivity in the group of bipolar outpatients and healthy volunteers: Could it also be relevant in the early diagnostic picture of bipolar mood disorder?
Barbara Dolenc
; Sociomedical Institute at Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
Abstract
Affective temperaments have been linked with major mood disorders. Less attention has been paid to the association of affective temperaments with the trait impulsivity, which is commonly associated with clinical picture of bipolar disorder. The aim of our study was to examine the features of affective temperaments and impulsivity and their relationship among remitted bipolar outpatients and healthy volunteers. 1096 students, 45 euthymic bipolar outpatients and 45 comparable controls were self-assessed with the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego – Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) and Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11). In the group of bipolar outpatients higher mean scores on depressive, cyclothymic, irritable and anxious temperament, as well as on attentional and general impulsivity scales have been found in comparison to the control and students group. Our data also revealed positive correlations between impulsivity and certain aspects of affective temperaments. The results are in agreement with numerous studies where authors emphasized that more pronounced depressive, cyclothymic, irritable and anxious temperament as well as impulsivity could indicate a vulnerability to pathological mood regulation also during the remission phase of bipolar disorder. Besides, associations between affective temperaments and impulsivity could imply that those traits may be relevant in early diagnostic picture for affective disorders.
Keywords
bipolar disorder; affective temperament; impulsivity
Hrčak ID:
70666
URI
Publication date:
7.12.2010.
Visits: 1.329 *