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Author: Furlong, Lisa × Author: Murray, Gregory × Author: van Rheenen, Tamsyn × End date: 2023 × Start date: 2022 × Type: Journal Article ×

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    Understanding familial liability for emotion regulation difficulties in bipolar disorder
    Van Rheenen, TE ; Miskowiak, K ; Karantonis, J ; Furlong, LS ; Murray, G ; Rossell, SL (CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS, 2022-10)
    BACKGROUND: There has been relatively limited work focused on understanding whether relatives of individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) have difficulties in the regulation of emotion, particularly in relation to perceptions about whether emotions can be effectively regulated, or trait behaviours that acknowledge emotions as self-regulators themselves. In this study, we assessed the presence and extent of difficulties in these dimensions of emotion regulation in individuals with BD compared to unaffected first-degree biological relatives (FDR) for the first time. METHODS: In total, 161 participants, including euthymic individuals with BD, unaffected FDRs, and healthy controls, were compared on the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) - a multi-dimensional measure of habitual emotion regulation. Clinical data were also collected and examined in relation to DERS scores in a secondary analysis. RESULTS: In the BD group, difficulties were evident for most dimensions of emotion regulation as measured by the DERS; and correlated with an earlier onset of illness and more mood episodes. FDRs displayed generally normal emotion regulation, except in terms of their beliefs that emotions can be effectively regulated; on this dimension, their reported difficulty was intermediate to the BD group and controls. CONCLUSION: Habitual emotion regulation difficulties in BD persist irrespective of mood state, are related to the course of illness, and should be targeted in psychological interventions. Further, the perception that emotions cannot be effectively regulated during times of distress seems to represent an endophenotype for BD.
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    Mindfulness, mood symptom tendencies and quality of life in bipolar disorder: An examination of the mediating influence of emotion regulation difficulties
    Carruthers, SP ; Rossell, SL ; Murray, G ; Karantonis, J ; Furlong, LS ; Van Rheenen, TE (ELSEVIER, 2022-02-01)
    BACKGROUND: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate dispositional mindfulness and its association with depression and manic tendencies, and subjective life quality in bipolar disorder (BD). Furthermore, this study sought to examine the potential mediating effects of emotion regulation difficulties on these relationships. METHOD: Twenty-eight healthy controls (HC) and 66 clinically stable outpatients with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of BD completed the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Seven Up (7 Up) Seven Down (7 Down) and the Quality of Life in Bipolar Disorder Questionnaire (QoL.BD). These variables were compared between groups and entered into a series of mediation analyzes using PROCESS in the BD group only. RESULTS: Lower MAAS scores were detected amongst the BD patients compared to HCs. Lower MAAS scores in BD patients predicted higher 7 Up, 7 Down and lower QoL.BD scores. For the 7 Down and QoL.BD, the associations were completely mediated by DERS scores, with difficulties in strategy use and emotional clarity mediating the association between mindfulness and depressive tendencies and quality of life, respectively. No significant direct or indirect effects were detected for the 7 Up model. LIMITATIONS: The cross-sectional design precludes causal inference. The MAAS conceptualises mindfulness as unidimensional. Self-report scales of depressive and manic tendencies utilised. CONCLUSIONS: This study detected a significant association between dispositional mindfulness and depressive tendencies and life quality in BD, and found that these associations were influenced by emotion regulation difficulties. These findings encourage further investigation of mindfulness-based interventions in BD.