Conceptual underpinnings and empirical support for the mood spectrum.
This article presents an overview of the conceptual basis and empirical support for a unitary view of mood disturbance. The authors consider this general conceptualization of psychiatric disturbance as consisting of an array of related symptoms and behavioral features that define the "spectrum" of each disorder. They discuss how this conceptual framework aids in overcoming what they believe to be the false dichotomy between unipolar and bipolar mood disorders and in evaluating subthreshold and unusual presentations. They also describe the structured clinical interview and self-report instrument that they have developed to facilitate systematic assessment of the proposed mood spectrum. Finally, they summarize the clinical utility of such an approach to the description and assessment of patients with mood disorders.
Cassano
Giovanni B
GB
Department of Psychiatry, Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Biotechnology, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56100 Pisa, Italy.
Frank
Ellen
E
Miniati
Mario
M
Rucci
Paola
P
Fagiolini
Andrea
A
Pini
Stefano
S
Shear
M Katherine
MK
Maser
Jack D
JD
D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013577:Syndrome