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. 2023 Aug;33(6):225-231.
doi: 10.1089/cap.2023.0002.

Cognitive, Family, and Quality-of-Life Characteristics of Youth with Depression Associated with Bipolar Disorder

Arman Danielyan  1 , Luis R Patino  2 , Tessa Benanzer  2 , Thomas J Blom  2 , Jeffrey A Welge  2 , Kiki D Chang  3 , Caleb M Adler  2 , Melissa P DelBello  1   2
Affiliations

Cognitive, Family, and Quality-of-Life Characteristics of Youth with Depression Associated with Bipolar Disorder

Arman Danielyan et al. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2023 Aug.

Abstract

Background: Depression associated with bipolar disorder (BD) is more common compared to mania. Cognitive, family, and quality-of-life (QOL) factors associated with pediatric bipolar depression are understudied. The goal of this study was to evaluate cognitive, family environmental, and QOL characteristics of youth with bipolar depression. Methods: Thirty-two youth (12-18 years of age) with BD type I currently depressed were recruited from inpatient and outpatient setting. Subjects were assessed using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), the Family Environment Scale (FES), and the Child Health Questionnaire-Parental-Form 50 (CHQ-PF50). Results were compared with population norms and the relationship between these domains was calculated. Results: Youth with depression associated with BD did not show significant impairment in executive functions. They displayed impaired family environment in the domains of cohesion, independence, achievement orientation, and organization. Youth also displayed impairments in the psychosocial health domains compared with the population normative data. The CHQ-Psychosocial health significantly negatively correlated with the BRIEF-Global Executive Control score (r = -0.76, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Depression in youth with BD is associated with impairments in family functioning and QOL. Impairments in psychosocial QOL are associated with cognitive functioning. Further intervention studies examining executive functioning and family environment as treatment targets are needed. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier:NCT00232414.

Keywords: adolescents; bipolar disorder; depression; executive functioning; family functioning; psychosocial functioning.

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Conflict of interest statement

L.R.P. has received research support from Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Otsuka, Novartis, Lundbeck, Sunovion, AbbVie, Martek, and Shire. J.A.W. has received research support from National Institute of Mental Health. C.M.A. has received research support from National Institute of Mental Health, Johnson and Johnson, Merck, Forest, Otsuka, Purdue, Takeda, Pfizer, Shire, Sunovion, and SyneuRx; and has received consulting/honoraria from Sunovion. M.P. D. has received research support from National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Amylin, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Otsuka, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Martek, Novartis, Lundbeck, Pfizer, Sunovion, and Shire; and has received consulting/advisory board/honoraria/travel support from Pfizer, Lundbeck, Sunovian, Supernus, and Otsuka. The other authors have no disclosures. The authors declare no competing interests.

Comment in

  • From the Editor-in-Chief's Desk.
    Koplewicz HS. Koplewicz HS. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2023 Aug;33(6):202. doi: 10.1089/cap.2023.29243.editorial. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2023. PMID: 37590016 No abstract available.

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