Social dysfunction in bipolar disorder: pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the present study was to assess the social skills of euthymic patients with bipolar disorder.


METHODS
A group of 25 outpatients with bipolar disorder type I were evaluated in comparison with a group of 31 healthy volunteers who were matched in terms of level of education, age, sex and intelligence. Both groups were assessed using a self-report questionnaire, the Brazilian Inventario de Habilidades Sociais (IHS, Social Skills Inventory). Two Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale subtests (Picture Arrangement and Comprehension) were also used in order to assess subject ability to analyse social situations and to make judgements, respectively.


RESULTS
Patients with bipolar disorder had lower IHS scores for the domains that assessed conversational skills/social self-confidence and social openness to new people/situations. Patients with anxiety disorders had high scores for the domain that assessed self-confidence in the expression of positive emotions. No differences were found between patients and controls in performance on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Picture Arrangement and Comprehension subtests.


CONCLUSIONS
Euthymic patients with bipolar disorder present inhibited and overattentive behaviour in relation to other people and their environment. This behaviour might have a negative impact on their level of social functioning and quality of life.
de Almeida Rocca
Cristiana Castanho
CC
Psychology and Neuropsychology Units, and Bipolar Research Program, Department and Institute of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil. crisrocca@uol.com.br
de Macedo-Soares
Marcia Britto
MB
Gorenstein
Clarice
C
Tamada
Renata Sayuri
RS
Issler
Cilly Kluger
CK
Dias
Rodrigo Silva
RS
Schwartzmann
Angela Maria
AM
Lafer
Beny
B
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014888:Wechsler Scales