The role of affective temperaments as a factor of vulnerability to seasonal affective disorder.

BACKGROUND: Growing evidence suggests the relevance of affective temperaments in the development of mood disorders. This study aims to assess their potential role as a vulnerability factor for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and subsyndromal SAD (S-SAD) in a sample of young individuals without a history of clinical diagnosis. METHODS: Eight hundred and forty-six university students were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Participants were evaluated for exclusion and inclusion criteria and divided into Control, S-SAD, and SAD groups. They filled out two self-administered questionnaires to assess the degree of seasonality problems and the predominant type of affective temperaments, the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ), and the Temperament Evaluation Instrument of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego-Auto-questionnaire version scale (briefTEMPS-M version). We conducted a multinomial logistic regression model to explore the relationship between affective temperaments and seasonality. RESULTS: Our results evidenced that cyclothymic [χ2 (2) = 33.486, p < 0.001] and anxious [χ2 (2) = 86.991, p < 0.001] temperaments were significant predictors in the model, suggesting that individuals with cyclothymic and anxious temperaments are at increased risk of developing SAD, due to heightened seasonal changes in mood and behavior. In contrast, people with hyperthymic temperament appear less susceptible to experiencing seasonal problems. LIMITATIONS: The homogeneity of the sample; only retrospective self-reported data were considered; measures of temperament and seasonality were simultaneously assessed. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding which affective temperaments may constitute a potential predisposing factor for vulnerability to seasonal changes can aid in better assessing SAD and predicting its outcome.

Cyclothymic affective temperament and low positive attitude coping strategies as predictors of comorbid depressive symptomatology in adult ADHD patients.

INTRODUCTION: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults could be frequently underdiagnosed due to concomitant psychiatric disorders, including depressive symptomatology, which could determine inappropriate treatments. Our study aims at clinically characterizing adult ADHD with or without depressive symptomatology in order to identify the relationship with specific affective temperamental profiles and coping strategies. METHODS: A total of 225 outpatients consecutively afferent to our outpatient adult ADHD service since September 2019 were retrospectively screened for eligibility and administered Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (COPE-NV) and Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego (TEMPS-M). RESULTS: 64.7 % of patients displayed a significant comorbid depressive symptomatology. According to the multivariate linear regression model, depressive levels were positively predicted by TEMPS-M cyclothymic subscale (B = 0.567, p = 0.004) and negatively predicted by COPE-NVI "positive attitude" subscale (B = -0.438, p = 0.024) (R = 0.496, R2 = 0.246, F(2,66) = 10.747, p < 0.001). LIMITATION: While considering the results, it should be taken in consideration that: the assessment was carried out only at baseline, our sample is constituted only by adult ADHD patients and mostly without a previous ADHD diagnosis, the presence of a discrepancy between the rates of ADHD subtypes, the absence of a healthy control group and emotional dysregulation was not directly assessed. CONCLUSION: Affective temperamental profiles and coping strategies could help in clinically characterizing and personalizing treatment in adult comorbid ADHD-depressive symptomatology patients. Further research is warranted to explore the efficacy of targeted psychotherapeutic and pharmacological interventions within this ADHD sub-sample.

Homocysteine, hopelessness, rumination, affective temperaments, and clinical course in patients with bipolar disorder-1.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the associations between homocysteine, rumination, affective temperaments, clinical features, and hopelessness in bipolar disorder-1 (BD-1). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 57 euthymic patients with BD-1 and 57 healthy controls were included. The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A), and Ruminative Responses Scale Short Form (RRS-SF) were administered. Homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12 levels were measured. RESULTS: The BHS total (p = 0.047), TEMPS-A irritable (p = 0.007), and TEMPS-A cyclothymic (p= 0.001) scores were significantly higher than the control group in the BD-1 group. Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) was found in 33.3% of the patients (n = 19). In the HHcy group, age of onset of disease (p = 0.020) was significantly lower than the non-HHcy group in patients. Previous suicide attempt number was significantly correlated with scores of reflective pondering, brooding, and global rumination in BD-1 (p Ë‚ 0.05). Except for hyperthymic temperament, all types of affective temperaments were correlated with the scores of RRS-SF brooding (p Ë‚ 0.05) in the BD-1 group. The RRS-SF brooding scores significantly correlated with the BHS total scores (r = 0.263, p < 0.05); the TEMPS-A hyperthymic (ß = -0.351, p = 0.001) and TEMPS-A irritable (ß = 0.536, p < 0.001) scores significantly predicted the BHS total scores in the BD-1 group. CONCLUSIONS: The findings may lead clinical efforts and future clinical trials to explore and intervene in related sources and presentations of BD-1's adverse consequences.

Factors associated with the discrepancy between objective and subjective cognitive impairment in bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the discrepancy between objective cognitive measures and cognitive subjective complaints in a sample of euthymic patients with bipolar disorder (BD). METHODS: One hundred and sixteen participants (83 euthymic patients with BD and 33 healthy controls) were enrolled for this study. Patients were assessed with a comprehensive neuropsychological battery and they also reported their subjective cognitive complaints with the Cognitive Complaints in Bipolar Disorder Rating Scale (COBRA). The discrepancy between objective and subjective data was calculated using a novel methodology proposed in a previous study (Miskowiak, 2016). Statistical analyses included Pearson correlations and multiple linear regression. RESULTS: Higher number of previous depressive episodes was identified as one variable associated with the global sensitivity composite score (Beta = 0.25; t = 2.1; p = 0.04) and with the verbal learning and memory sensitivity score (Beta = 0.26; t = 2.16; p = 0.03). That is, patients with more previous depressive episodes tend to over-report cognitive complaints. In contrast, higher number of previous hospitalizations was associated with stoicism in the global total score (Beta = -0.27; t = -2.24: p = 0.029) and in the domain of attention/processing speed (Beta = -0.34; t = -2.52; p = 0.016), indicating patients with more hospitalizations tend to report less cognitive complaints. DISCUSSION: Our study identified some factors that might help to explain the discrepancy between objective and subjective cognitive measures in BD, including number of previous depressive episodes and number of previous hospitalizations. This highlights the need of the combined use of both types of cognitive measures to make an accurate assessment of cognitive dysfunctions and their effective treatment.

Predicting functional impairment in euthymic patients with mood disorder: A 5-year follow-up.

Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder are psychiatric disorders associated with psychosocial impairment. Despite clinical improvement, functional complaints usually remain, mainly impairing occupational and cognitive performance. The aim of this study was to use machine learning techniques to predict functional impairment in patients with mood disorders. For that, analyzes were performed using a population-based cohort study. Participants diagnosed with a mood disorder at baseline and reassessed were considered (n = 282). Random forest (RF) with previous recursive feature selection and LASSO algorithms were applied to a training set with imputed data by bagged trees resulting in two main models. Following recursive feature selection, 25 variables were retained. The RF model had the best performance compared to LASSO. The most important variables in predicting functional impairment were sexual abuse, severity of depressive, anxiety, and somatic symptoms, physical neglect, emotional abuse, and physical abuse. The model demonstrated acceptable performance to predict functional impairment. However, our sample is composed of young participants and the model may not generalize to older individuals with mood disorders. More studies are needed in this direction. The presented calculator has clinical, sociodemographic, and environmental data, demonstrating that it is possible to use such information to predict functional performance.

Effect of affective temperament on illness characteristics of subjects with bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Affective temperaments represent the stable, biologically determined substrates of mood disorders. The relationship between affective temperaments and bipolar disorder (BD) or major depressive disorder (MDD) has been described. However, the strength of such relationship should be tested while considering other factors influencing the diagnosis of BD/MDD. Literature also lacks a comprehensive description of the interplay between affective temperament and characteristics of mood disorders. The aim of the present study is to address these issues. METHODS: This is a multicentric observational study including 7 Italian university sites. Five-hundred-fifty-five euthymic subjects with BD/MDD were enrolled and further divided in those with hyperthymic (Hyper, N = 143), cyclothymic (Cyclo, N = 133), irritable (Irr, N = 49), dysthymic (Dysth, N = 155), and anxious (Anx N = 76) temperaments. Linear, binary, ordinal and logistic regressions were performed to assess the association between affective temperaments and i) diagnosis of BD/MDD; ii) characteristics of illness severity and course. RESULTS: Hyper, Cyclo and Irr were more likely to be associated with BD, together with earlier age of onset and presence of a first-degree relative with BD. Anx and Dysth were more associated with MDD. Differences in association between affective temperaments and characteristics of BD/MDD were observed for hospital admissions, phase-related psychotic symptoms, length and type of depression, comorbidity and pharmacological intake. LIMITATIONS: Small sample size, cross-sectional design, recall biases. CONCLUSION: Specific affective temperaments were associated to certain characteristics of illness severity and course of BD or MDD. Evaluation of affective temperaments might help a deeper understanding of mood disorders.

The role of affective temperaments in bipolar disorder: The solid role of the cyclothymic, the contentious role of the hyperthymic, and the neglected role of the irritable temperaments.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study is to evaluate the role of individual affective temperaments as clinical predictors of bipolarity in the clinical setting. METHODS: The affective temperaments of 1723 consecutive adult outpatients presenting for various symptoms to a university-based mental health clinical setting were assessed. Patients were administered the Hypomania Checklist-32 and the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego - Auto-questionnaire (TEMPS-A) and were diagnosed by psychiatrists according to the DSM-5 criteria. TEMPS-A scores were studied as both continuous and normalized categorical z-scores from a previously established nationwide study on the general population of Lebanon. Simple and multiple binary logistic regressions were done on patients who have any of the DSM-5 defined bipolar types, as a combined group or separately, versus patients without any bipolar diagnosis. RESULTS: At the multivariable level and taking into account all temperaments, the irritable temperament is a consistent predictor of bipolar I and bipolar II disorders. Cyclothymic temperament also played a strong role in bipolarity but more decisively so in bipolar II and substance-induced bipolarity. The hyperthymic temperament had no role in bipolar I or bipolar II disorder.

Affective Temperaments Misdiagnosed as Adult Attention Deficit Disorder: Prevalence and Treatment Effects.

ABSTRACT: Adult attention-deficit disorder (ADD) is a common diagnosis, and amphetamine medications are increasingly used. Recent reports suggest high prevalence of affective temperaments, such as cyclothymia, in adult ADD. This study reexamines prevalence rates as reflecting misdiagnosis and reports for the first time on the effects of amphetamine medications on mood/anxiety and cognition in relation to affective temperaments. Among outpatients treated at the Tufts Medical Center Mood Disorders Program (2008-2017), 87 cases treated with amphetamines were identified, versus 163 non-amphetamine-treated control subjects. Using the Temperament Scale of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire, 62% had an affective temperament, most commonly cyclothymia (42%). In amphetamine-treated cases, mood/anxiety symptoms worsened notably in 27% ( vs. 4% in the control group, risk ratio [RR] 6.2, confidence interval [CI], 2.8-13.8), whereas 24% had moderate improvement in cognition ( vs. 6% in the control group; RR, 3.93; CI, 1.9-8.0). Affective temperaments, especially cyclothymia, are present in persons about one-half of persons diagnosed with adult ADD and/or treated with amphetamines.

Pain sensitivity is modulated by affective temperament: Results from the population-based CHRIS Affective Disorder (CHRIS-AD) study.

BACKGROUND: Nociceptive pain modulation is related to psychological and psychiatric conditions. Evidence from clinical studies backs innate temperaments as potential precursors of mood symptoms and disorders, and pain sensitivity. Our study examines the modulation effect of affective temperaments on pain sensitivity in a general population adult sample, accounting for possible intervening mood symptoms, lifetime anxiety and depression, and pain treatments. METHODS: The sample is part of the CHRIS-AD study, Italy. Primary outcomes were the pain sensitivity questionnaire PSQ-total intensity score and the experimental pressure pain threshold (PPT). Affective temperaments were evaluated with the TEMPS-M. Lifetime depression, anxiety, current mood disorders, and treatments were self-reported via rating-scales. Directed acyclic graphs theory guided linear and mixed linear regression model analyses. RESULTS: Among 3804 participants (aged 18-65; response rate 78.4 %, females 53.3 %, mean age 38.4 years) for any given temperament, both the PSQ-total and the PPT were associated with temperament. The TEMPS-M four cyclothymic-related temperaments aligned on the pain-sensitive pole and the hyperthymic on the pain-resilient pole. The inclusion of current or lifetime mood symptoms, or pain drug use, as possible intervening pathways only partly diluted these associations, with stronger evidence for an effect of trait anxiety. LIMITATIONS: The main limitations were the lack of experimental measures of suprathreshold pain intensity perception, and detailed information on affective disorders in the study population. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the hypothesis of a biological dichotomous diathesis of affective temperaments towards pain sensitivity; hyperthymic suggesting protection, whereas cyclothymic suggesting predisposition.

Affective Temperaments and Illness Severity in Patients with Bipolar Disorder.

Background and objectives: Bipolar disorder (BD) is one of the most burdensome psychiatric illnesses, being associated with a negative long-term outcome and the highest suicide rate. Although affective temperaments can impact on BD long-term outcome, their role remains poorly investigated. The aims of the present study are to describe the clinical characteristics of patients with BD more frequently associated with the different affective temperaments and to assess the relation between affective temperaments and severity of clinical picture in a sample of patients with BD. Materials and Methods: A total of 199 patients have been recruited in the outpatients units of two university sites. Patients' psychiatric symptoms, affective temperaments, and quality of life were investigated through validated assessment instruments. Results: Predominant cyclothymic and irritable temperaments are associated to higher number of relapses, poorer quality of life, higher rates of aggressive behaviors, and suicide attempts. Conversely, the predominant hyperthymic disposition was a protective factor for several outcome measures, including relapse rate, severity of anxiety, depressive and manic symptoms, suicidality, and earlier age at onset. One limitation of the present study is that the recruitment took place in two university sites; therefore, our findings cannot be fully generalized to the whole community of BD patients. Other limitations are the lack of a control group and the cross-sectional design of the study. Conclusions: The early identification of affective temperaments can help clinicians to identify those BD patients who are more likely to show a poor long-term outcome. An early screening of affective temperaments can be useful to develop targeted integrated pharmacological and psychosocial interventions.

The use of antidepressant medications for Bipolar I and II disorders.

Given that the patterns and clinical correlates related to antidepressant drugs (ADs) prescription for Bipolar Disorder (BD) remain generally unclear, this study aimed to compare socio-demographic and clinical features of BD patients treated vs. not treated with ADs. The sample consists of 287 currently euthymic bipolar patients. Among participants (mean age=51.9±15.02), 157 54.7% were receiving ADs. Based on the main findings, subjects given ADs were older and more frequently retired than those without receiving ADs. Moreover, patients given ADs were more likely to have had a first major depressive episode. Lifetime substance abuse/dependence history was less frequently reported among patients given ADs. Furthermore, ADs given patients had a higher number of affective episodes, and longer duration of their illness. Additionally, subjects treated with ADs reported higher hopelessness levels, and lower positive reinterpretations than those who were not treated with ADs. Factors associated with ADs-use by multivariate modeling were reduced personal autonomy (OR=.070), and hopelessness levels (OR=1.391). These results may help clinicians to better understand the clinical correlates of BD subtypes and improve their differential management. Additional studies are needed to replicate these findings, and facilitate the differential trajectories of BD patients based on socio-demographic/clinical profiles.

Impulsiveness and cyclothymic traits of affective temperament as predictors of risky gambling behavior. / Impulsywnosc i cechy cyklotymiczne temperamentu afektywnego jako predyktory ryzykownych zachowan hazardowych.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate bipolar traits and impulsiveness in pathological gamblers, compared to non-pathological gamblers and non-gambling general population. To investigate interaction between traits of affective temperament, impulsiveness and the severity of pathological gambling. METHODS: 139 participants (63 women, 76 men; mean age: 30.32; SD = 10.69) were included in the study. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale was used to evaluate impulsiveness and the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa and San Diego Autoquestionnaire was used to evaluate affective temperamental traits. The participants were also screened for bipolar affective disorder spectrum using the Mood Disorder Questionnaire and the Hypomania Checklist-32.The Canadian Problem Gambling Index (CPGI) was used to evaluate the severity of pathologicalgambling in the assessed population. Polish versions of the questionnaires were filled out anonymously via the internet. RESULTS: Pathological gamblers (N =36) scored higher on ?Motor impulsiveness', ?Cyclothymic'and ?Irritability'subscales versus non-pathological gamblers (N =61) and non-gamblers (N = 42). Cyclothymic and motor impulsiveness significantly predicted CPGI scores. Motor impulsiveness was found to moderate the influence of cyclothymic affective temperamental traits on pathological gambling. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support prior reports of higher impulsivity traits and traits from the bipolar spectrum among pathological gamblers. The results indicate that the influence of affective temperamental traits on pathological gambling severity is moderated by impulsiveness.

Relationships Among Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder, Emotional Dysregulation, and Affective Temperaments in Adults With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Cyclothymia.

This study aims to explore the relationships between delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD) and emotional dysregulation in 240 patients (134 with cyclothymia, 81 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] and 25 with both conditions). DSPD was assessed using the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, followed by a clinical evaluation. Affective temperaments and emotional dysregulation were also investigated through the brief version of the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego and the Reactivity, Intensity, Polarity, Stability questionnaires, respectively. Clinical variables were compared in patients with and without DSPD, and a logistic regression model was used to identify the predictive value of the clinical characteristics on the presence of DSPD. DSPD patients (19% of the total sample) were significantly younger than patients without DSPD, showed an about 4 times higher lifetime history of comorbid ADHD and cyclothymia, and reported higher scores in the irritable and cyclothymic temperamental subscales and in the affective instability and impulsivity dimensions. In the multiple logistic regression, we found a negative predictive value of increasing age on the presence of DSPD, whereas comorbid cyclothymia and ADHD and cyclothymic temperament seem to represent risk factors for DSPD.

Behavioral activation system (BAS) dysregulation and bipolar spectrum psychopathology in daily life: An online-diary study.

Dysregulation of the behavioral activation system (BAS) has been theorized to be a core factor underlying mood swings in bipolar disorder (BD). However, few studies have directly addressed BAS dysregulation and more research is needed to understand its dynamic expression in daily life. The aim of this study was to directly assess BAS dysregulation, and to examine its moderating effect on the relationship between life events and bipolar spectrum symptoms via multilevel modeling. Korean young adults (n = 100) were screened using the Hypomanic Personality Scale (HPS) from a large sample (N = 1,591). They completed online diaries for 7 consecutive days including the Daily Events Record as well as bipolar spectrum symptoms. BAS-activating and/or -deactivating scores were allocated to each reported life event by an expert consensus rating. Cross-level interaction analysis showed that the occurrence of BA life events contributed to a steeper increase in bipolar spectrum symptoms, particularly for individuals with high BAS dysregulation. The present study suggests that BAS dysregulation is a unique construct that deserves further exploration in BD.

Affective Temperaments and Meteoropathy Among Women: A Cross-sectional Study.

The main goal of the study was to assess the relationship between affective temperaments and meteoropathy among women and examine meteorosensitivity as a mediator in this relationship. The issue of affective temperaments and meteoropathy has not been considered in the literature. The sample consisted of 450 Caucasian women gathered via the online recruitment platform. The participants' ages ranged from 18 to 70 years (M = 30.01; SD = 9.10). The Polish version of the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego Autoquestionnaire was used to assess affective temperaments (depressive, cyclothymic, hyperthymic, irritable and anxious). Meteorosensitivity and meteoropathy were assessed using the Polish adaptation of the METEO-Q questionnaire. A large positive correlation was found between meteorosensitivity and meteoropathy. Medium positive correlations were found between meteorosensitivity/meteoropathy and cyclothymic and anxious temperaments. Small positive correlations were revealed between depressive and irritable temperaments and both meteorosensitivity and meteoropathy scales. No correlation was found between hyperthymic temperament and meteorosensitivity/meteoropathy. Mediation analyses indicated cyclothymic and anxious temperaments affected meteoropathy both directly and indirectly through meteorosensitivity as a mediator. The most severe meteoropathy symptoms in the studied sample were asthenia, an indefinite feeling of malaise and irritability. The results suggest affective temperaments may be related to meteoropathy symptoms in women.

Functioning in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis using the Functioning Assessment Short Test.

OBJECTIVES: Systematically review the prevalence of functional impairment (FI) in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder (BD), as assessed only with the Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST), explore the prevalence of this impairment among all the domains, identify the most compromised of them and the clinical variables associated with low functioning in this population. METHODS: Meta-analyses were performed, searching for relevant papers published from 2007 to 2019 in Medline, Embase, Cochrane, PsycINFO databases and via hand-searching, without language restrictions. 1128 studies were initially identified, 13 of which were ultimately chosen based on the eligibility criteria. A two-step meta-analysis was performed using the mean difference with a 95% confidence interval for continuous variables and proportion estimation with a fixed-effects model for categorical variables. RESULTS: In the first step, all FAST domains showed worse FI in patients than in healthy controls, with significant differences between groups. In the second step, the prevalence of FI domains were as follows: global, 58.6%; occupational, 65.6%; cognitive, 49.2%; autonomy, 42.6%; interpersonal relationships, 42.1%; leisure, 29.2%; and financial issues, 28.8%. Residual depressive symptoms were the most frequently cited variable associated with FI. CONCLUSIONS: This study reinforces the relevant functional impact of BD in this population and suggests that the occupational domain may be the most impaired. Greater efforts should be directed toward targeting functioning in patient care, as it constitutes the most meaningful endpoint of response to treatment, especially with occupational and cognitive rehabilitation, thus allowing patients to overcome the course of illness and carry fulfilling lives.

Affective temperament, attachment style, and the psychological impact of the COVID-19 outbreak: an early report on the Italian general population.

The outbreak of COVID-19 is severely affecting mental health worldwide, although individual response may vary. This study aims to investigate the psychological distress perceived by the Italian general population during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to analyze affective temperament and adult attachment styles as potential mediators. Through an online survey, we collected sociodemographic and lockdown-related information and evaluated distress, temperament, and attachment using the Kessler 10 Psychological Distress Scale (K10), the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire short version (TEMPS-A) and the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ). In our sample (n = 500), 62% of the individuals reported no likelihood of psychological distress, whereas 19.4% and 18.6% displayed mild and moderate-to-severe likelihood. Cyclothymic (OR: 1.24; p < 0.001), depressive (OR: 1.52; p < 0.001) and anxious (OR: 1.58; p = 0.002) temperaments, and the ASQ "Need for approval" (OR: 1.08; p = 0.01) were risk factors for moderate-to-severe psychological distress compared to no distress, while the ASQ "Confidence" (OR: 0.89; p = 0.002) and "Discomfort with closeness" were protective (OR: 0.92; p = 0.001). Cyclothymic (OR: 1.17; p = 0.008) and depressive (OR: 1.32; p = 0.003) temperaments resulted as risk factors in subjects with moderate-to-severe psychological distress compared to mild distress, while the ASQ "Confidence" (OR: 0.92; p = 0.039) and "Discomfort with closeness" (OR: 0.94; p = 0.023) were protective. Our data indicated that a relevant rate of individuals may have experienced psychological distress following the COVID-19 outbreak. Specific affective temperament and attachment features predict the extent of mental health burden. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first data available on the psychological impact of the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic on a sizeable sample of the Italian population. Moreover, our study is the first to investigate temperament and attachment characteristics in the psychological response to the ongoing pandemic. Our results provide further insight into developing targeted intervention strategies.

Understanding social withdrawal in euthymic bipolar patients: The role of stigma.

Social withdrawal acts as a risk factor in mental health, disturbing clinical management and quality of life in euthymic bipolar patients. However, no previous study has analyzed what variables might predict it. We conducted a cross-sectional study in which 49 euthymic bipolar patients were assessed. The analysis showed that taken together, stereotype endorsement, discrimination experience and control over illness as measured by the ISMI, together explained 80.4% of the variability in social withdrawal. In conclusion, an early assessment of self-stigma and perception of control over illness would help euthymic patients to improve their social situation, reducing social withdrawal.

Cyclothymic temperament: Associations with ADHD, other psychopathology, and medical morbidity in the general population.

BACKGROUND: Cyclothymic temperament (CT) is an affective disposition often preceding bipolar disorder (BD), and is the most common affective temperament in patients with BD. In depressed patients, CT is a predictor for developing a bipolar course. In a clinical sample of adults with BD and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), CT was associated with higher loads of psychiatric symptoms, somatic comorbidity, impairment, and higher morbidity among first-degree relatives. We aimed to investigate the morbidity and occupational functioning of persons with CT in the general population. METHODS: Randomly recruited Norwegian adults (n = 721) were assessed with a 21-item cyclothymic subscale from the TEMPS Autoquestionnaire. Self-reported data were collected on psychiatric symptoms, comorbidity, educational and occupational level, and known family morbidity. RESULTS: Thirteen percent had CT associated with an increased prevalence of ADHD, BD, high scores on the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ), and childhood and adulthood ADHD symptoms. CT was found in 75% (p < .001) of the bipolar participants, and in 68% (p < .001) of those with a positive MDQ score. CT was associated with more anxiety/depression, substance and alcohol problems, lower educational and occupational levels, and having a first-degree relative with anxiety/depression, alcohol problems, ADHD, and BD. LIMITATIONS: The CT subscale alone might include overlapping features with cyclothymic, anxious, irritable, and depressed temperaments, thus increasing the prevalence estimate of CT. CONCLUSIONS: CT is a strong predictor of occupational failure and associated with more psychiatric impairment in the participants and their families. CT should be assessed in both mood disorder and ADHD patients.

Validation of the brief TEMPS-M temperament questionnaire in a clinical Italian sample of bipolar and cyclothymic patients.

BACKGROUND: To assess psychometric proprieties of the short version of TEMPS-M in an Italian clinical sample of patients with bipolar disorder type I (BDI), type II (BDI) or cyclothymic disorder (CYC). METHODS: All participants were recruited in two Italian university sites. They were asked to complete the Italian version of the short TEMPS-M, consisting of 35 items on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5. The factorial structure of the instrument was assessed by principal components analysis with varimax rotation. The reliability of the subscales was assessed with Cronbach's alpha. RESULTS: The 815 recruited patients had a diagnosis of BDI (430), CYC (227) or BDII (158); 60% of them were female and with a mean age of 44.4 (±14.6) years. Cronbach's alpha coefficients of subscales ranged from 0.808 to 0.898. The factor analysis confirmed five dimensions (depressive, cyclothymic, hyperthymic, irritable, anxious), as in the English version of the scale. All temperaments were more represented in CYC than in BDI patients. Depressive and anxious temperaments were more represented in BDII than in BDI; the hyperthymic temperament was represented more in BDI than in BDII patients. LIMITATIONS: No other assessment instrument was used as a reference to assess the external or predictive validity of TEMPS-M; several socio-demographic and clinical characteristics have not been assessed. CONCLUSION: The Italian version of the short TEMPS-M shows good reliability and validity. It might be used in clinical and research settings, for the dimensional exploration of the investigated domains.