title: Correlates of Adolescent-reported and Parent-reported Family Conflict Among Canadian Adolescents With Bipolar Disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Family conflict exacerbates the course of bipolar disorder (BP) among adults. However, few studies have examined family conflict among adolescents with BP, and fewer have looked at adolescent-reported and parent-reported family conflict separately.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were 89 adolescents, aged 13 to 19 years, with a diagnosis of BP on the basis of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version (KSADS-PL). Subjects were divided into high-conflict and low-conflict groups using a median split on the Conflict Behavior Questionnaire (child report and parent report). The χ(2) analyses and independent samples t tests were performed for univariate analyses. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed on variables with P<0.2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parent-reported and adolescent-reported Conflict Behavior Questionnaire scores were significantly correlated (r=0.50, P<0.001). High parent-reported family conflict was positively associated with recent manic symptoms, externalizing comorbidities, and dimensional scores reflecting emotional dysregulation. High adolescent-reported family conflict was positively associated with recent manic symptoms and emotional dysregulation, and negatively associated with socioeconomic status and lifetime psychiatric hospitalization. Bipolar subtype was significantly associated with high versus low family conflict.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The limitations of this study included being a cross-sectional study, use of a medium-sized sample, and lack of a control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite substantial agreement between adolescents and parents regarding the amount of family conflict, there were meaningful differences in the factors associated with adolescent-reported and parent-reported conflict. These findings demonstrate the importance of ascertaining family conflict from adolescents as well as from parents. Moreover, these findings can potentially inform family therapy, which is known to be effective for adolescents with BP.
authors.affiliation: TIMMINS, SWAMPILLAI, HATCH, SCAVONE, COLLINGER, BOULOS, and GOLDSTEIN: Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Timmins
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Swampillai
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hatch
authors.forename: Antonette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scavone
authors.forename: Katelyn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Collinger
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boulos
authors.forename: Benjamin I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Goldstein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004644:Emotions; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult