Premorbid adjustment in bipolar disorder: comparison with schizophrenia.
Knowledge that poor premorbid adjustment (PMA) precedes illness onset in many schizophrenia cases can facilitate early detection. Increasing consideration is being given to a similar early detection strategy for bipolar disorder (BPD). Results of this preliminary investigation comparing PMA in BPD (N = 53) and schizophrenia (N = 39) outpatients revealed a significant difference at the late adolescent (F[1,58] = 4.499, p = 0.038) stage only, with specific differences in two areas of PMA: adaptation to school (t [58] = 1.83, p = 0.036) and social sexual functioning (t [58] = 2.441, p = 0.009). However, mood state may affect some PMA ratings in BPD. Depression ratings were not correlated with reported late adolescent PMA, but a significant, positive correlation was found for the childhood stage (r = 0.32, p = 0.02). Findings fail to support a trend similar to schizophrenia of deteriorating PMA in BPD; however, the approach to investigations of PMA in BPD may need to be reconsidered.
Uzelac
Sarah
S
Center for Neuropsychiatric Outcome and Rehabilitation Research, North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System, Glen Oaks, New York, USA.
Jaeger
Judith
J
Berns
Stefanie
S
Gonzales
Cristina
C
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology