Affective temperaments and their relationships with life events in bipolar patients and siblings: a controlled study

Abstract

Background Temperamental dysregulation may constitute the link between predisposing genetic factors and affective disorders. Aims Evaluate affective temperaments in bipolar patients, healthy siblings and controls, and address the relationship between affective temperaments and recent life events in these groups. Methods Sixty bipolar patients, 60 patients’ siblings and 60 controls were recruited. Assessment of life events in the last 6 months was performed using the Paykel’s interview for recent life events. The Arabic version of Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego – Auto-questionnaire was used to evaluate affective temperaments. Results Bipolar patients and siblings showed higher scores in cyclothymic and hyperthymic temperaments compared to controls. There were no significant differences in scores of irritable and anxious temperaments between the three groups. There was a strong relationship between anxious/cyclothymic temperaments and the high number of recent life events in bipolar patients and siblings. Contrary to bipolar patients and siblings, the number of recent life events in controls was not related to any dimension of affective temperament. Conclusions Cyclothymic and hyperthymic temperaments were associated with bipolarity in patients and they could be characteristic traits of healthy siblings. Anxious/cyclothymic temperament might at least partially explain the high number of recent life events in bipolar patients and in siblings.