Content-specificity of dysfunctional cognitions for patients with bipolar mania versus unipolar depression: a preliminary study.
OBJECTIVE
Dysfunctional beliefs or cognitions are considered to be fundamental to both the phenomenology and pathogenesis of depression. However, the cognitive aspects of mania have not been as thoroughly investigated. We sought to compare the maladaptive beliefs and cognitions of 23 bipolar manic or hypomanic patients, 28 patients with unipolar major depression, and 24 normal adults.


METHODS
The Cognition Checklist for Mania (CCL-M) was used to assess the beliefs. This 61-item self-report instrument is scored for seven subscales measuring (a) self-importance, (b) interpersonal grandiosity, (c) inappropriate spending, (d) excitement and risk-taking, (e) interpersonal frustrations, (f) goal-driven activity, and (g) past or future outlooks on life, and also yields a total score.


RESULTS
The mean CCL-M total score of the bipolar-manic patients was significantly higher than the mean CCL-M total score of the unipolar-depressed patients, and the patients' mean CCL-M total score was also higher than that of the normal adults. The mean scores of the subscales measuring excitement and past and future memories and expectations were also significantly higher for the bipolar-manic than unipolar-depressed patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Bipolar-manic patients endorse with maladaptive beliefs and cognitions that are associated with mania more than do unipolar-depressed patients and normal adults. The implications for the early identification of cognitions associated with prodromal states of mania, and for psychotherapeutic interventions, are discussed.
Goldberg
Joseph F
JF
Bipolar Disorders Research Program, Department of Psychiatry Research, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System, Glen Oaks, NY 11004, USA. jfgoldberg@yahoo.com
Wenze
Susan J
SJ
Welker
Tara M
TM
Steer
Robert A
RA
Beck
Aaron T
AT
D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011584:Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires