Evaluation of seasonality in six clinical populations and two normal populations.
The Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) was used to evaluate retrospectively self-reported seasonal changes in mood and behavior (seasonality) of two normal and six clinical populations: patients with winter-seasonal affective disorder (SAD), summer-SAD, eating disorders, bipolar affective disorder, major depressive disorder and subsyndromal winter-SAD. The SPAQ successfully discriminated between groups expected to have high seasonality scores, such as winter-SAD, summer-SAD and subsyndromal winter-SAD, and normal controls. Bipolars and major depressives had normal seasonality scores. Patients with eating disorders had unexpectedly high scores. There was a general tendency for all groups to eat and sleep more and to gain weight in the winter. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Clinical Psychobiology Branch, NIMH, Bethesda, MD 20892.
T A
TA
Hardin
T A
TA
Wehr
T
T
Brewerton
S
S
Kasper
W
W
Berrettini
J
J
Rabkin
N E
NE
Rosenthal
D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001066:Appetite; D001143:Arousal; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001835:Body Weight; D002032:Bulimia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016574:Seasonal Affective Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D012621:Seasons; D012894:Sleep Stages; D012919:Social Behavior