Traumatic experiences, family functioning, and mood disorder development in bipolar offspring.

CONCLUSIONS: The current study suggests that emotional maltreatment is associated with mood disorder development in bipolar offspring. Remarkably, the association of offspring-reported emotional maltreatment and mood disorder onset was not reflected in parent-reported family functioning (e.g., support and communication, openness or involvement). Possible explanations are discussed and warrant further study. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Offspring of bipolar patients are at increased risk of developing mood disorders across the life-time. Emotional trauma contributes to the likelihood of developing mood disorders in bipolar offspring. In the daily treatment of bipolar patients having children, attention should be given to parental style and difficulties. Further research using multiple informant methods on childhood trauma an family functioning is needed to further disentangle the effects of these variables on the onset of psychopathology in bipolar offspring. PMID: 32077116 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: The British Journal of Clinical Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Br J Clin Psychol Source Type: research