Affective Temperaments in College Students with Probable Bipolar Spectrum Disorder, Probable Eating Disorders, and Their Comorbidity
Yen-Hsiu Liu, Mei-Chih Meg TsengAbstract
Objectives:
We intended to identify shared and distinct features of affective temperament in college students with probable bipolar spectrum disorder (BSD) and probable eating disorder (ED) and to explore how these temperaments are related to probable BSD-ED comorbidity.
Methods:
Totally, 1,077 college students completed self-administered measures, including copies of screening questionnaire for BSD and ED and the short version of the Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego – Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A). Individuals with probable BSD and probable ED were identified using the Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale and Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale, respectively. Affective temperament scores of probable BSD and probable ED groups were compared with their respective matched controls (1: 4 ratio). Comparisons were also done across the probable BSD-only, probable ED-only, probable BSD-ED comorbid, and control groups.
Results:
Totally, 56 students were identified as probable BSD (5.2%), 61 as probable ED (5.7%), and 8 as probable BSD-ED cases (14.3% of BSD; 13.1% of ED). Screen-positive groups showed significantly higher levels of all affective temperaments than controls (
Conclusion:
Probable BSD and probable ED share elevated cyclothymic, depressive, irritable, hyperthymic, and anxious temperaments. These findings should be interpreted cautiously given the screening-based identification and the very small comorbid sample size.