1. Objectifs

Intentions :
« Considering the lack of research in this area, we set out to test [the following hypothesis] by examining patterns of psychosocial functioning among a sample of adolescent offspring of parents with BD [bipolar disorder] and adolescent offspring of parents with NMD [no mental disorder]. » (p. 5)

Questions/Hypothèses :
« We hypothesize that adolescents of parents with BD exhibit significantly more emotional-behavioural problems than adolescents of control parents. » (p. 5)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
« The present study examined patterns of interpersonal functioning among 25 adolescents having a parent with BD [bipolar disorder] (high risk) and 23 controls (low risk), between 15 to 25 years of age. » (p. iii)

Instruments :
- Le « Beck Depression Inventory »;
- Le « Child Depression Inventory »;
- Le « Penn State Worry Questionnaire »;
- Le « Penn State Worry Questionnaire for Children »;
- Le « Eysenck Personality Questionnaire »;
- Le « Achenbach Youth Self-Report Form ».

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

« Abnormal patterns of interpersonal behavior may represent a putative prodromal feature of major affective disorder (Hammen 2002). However, no studies have examined the naturalistic patterns of interpersonal behaviour among the adolescent offspring of parents with BD [bipolar disorder]. [...] Using event-contingent recording procedures in the natural environment, we assessed five dimensions of interpersonal behaviour: quarrelsomeness, agreeableness, dominance, submissiveness, and impulsivity. Behaviours were measured during social interactions occurring over 14 days. Multilevel modeling analyses indicated that the high risk group displayed more impulsive behaviours during social interactions than the low risk group, although this fell short of statistical significance ( t = -1.88, p < .056). Group by gender interactions revealed that high risk males displayed significantly more quarrelsome behaviours during social interactions than high risk females and control participants ( F = 7.49, p < .05). These results are consistent with previous findings suggesting that externalizing behaviour problems precede the development of major affective disorder, and indicate that impulsiveness and quarrelsomeness during social interactions might be an important developmental antecedent of mood disorders among the adolescent offspring of parents with BD. » (p. iii)