title: In your eyes: does theory of mind predict impaired life functioning in bipolar disorder?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deficits in emotion perception and social functioning are strongly implicated in bipolar disorder (BD). Examining theory of mind (ToM) may provide one potential mechanism to explain observed socio-emotional impairments in this disorder. The present study prospectively investigated the relationship between theory of mind performance and life functioning in individuals diagnosed with BD compared to unipolar depression and healthy control groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Theory of mind (ToM) performance was examined in 26 individuals with remitted bipolar I disorder (BD), 29 individuals with remitted unipolar depression (UD), and 28 healthy controls (CTL) using a well-validated advanced theory of mind task. Accuracy and response latency scores were calculated from the task. Life functioning was measured during a 12 month follow-up session.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No group differences for ToM accuracy emerged. However, the BD group exhibited significantly shorter response times than the UD and CTL groups. Importantly, quicker response times in the BD group predicted greater life functioning impairment at a 12-month follow-up, even after controlling for baseline symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The stimuli were static representations of emotional states and do not allow for evaluating the appropriateness of context during emotional communication; due to sample size, neither specific comorbidities nor medication effects were analyzed for the BD and UD groups; preliminary status of theory of mind as a construct.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that quickened socio-emotional decision making may represent a risk factor for future functional impairment in BD.
authors.affiliation: Yale University, Department of Psychology, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Purcell
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: June
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gruber
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011930:Reaction Time; D012917:Social Adjustment; D056345:Theory of Mind
keywords: Bipolar disorder; Depression; Emotion; Theory of mind
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