Psychopatological severity and global functioning in offsprings of parents with bipolar disorder

Francisco R. de-la-Peña, Adolescents Clinic, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñíz; 2Research Promotion Unit, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñíz; 3Center for Global Mental Health Studies, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñíz, Mexico City, Mexico
Héctor A. Taboada-Liceaga, Adolescents Clinic, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñíz, Mexico City, Mexico
Manuel A. Valderrama-Yapor, Adolescents Clinic, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñíz, Mexico City, Mexico
Marcos F. Rosetti, Center for Global Mental Health Studies, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñíz; Psychopatology and Developmental Unit, Institute of Biomedical Research, UNAM; Mexico City, Mexico
Assad D. Saad-Manzanera, Adolescents Clinic, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñíz, Mexico City, Mexico
Joanna Jiménez-Pavón, Affective Disorders Clinic, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñíz, Mexico City, Mexico
Sebastián Totxo-Guerrero, Adolescents Clinic, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñíz, Mexico City, Mexico
Luis Santana-Arellano, Adolescents Clinic, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñíz, Mexico City, Mexico
Alexa Bazua-Gerez, Adolescents Clinic, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñíz, Mexico City, Mexico
José C. Medina-Rodríguez, Research Promotion Unit, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñíz, Mexico City, Mexico

Background: Offspring of parents with bipolar disorder (OPB) are a vulnerable group, with a large psychopathological load and low global functioning. Its association with the polarity and sex of the affected parent has not been explored. Objective: To determine the psychopathology and functioning of OPB and its association with the sex and polarity of the affected parent. Methods: OPB and the affected parent were invited; instruments and interviews were applied to assess psychopathology, suicidal behavior, and functionality. Results: Twenty-eight of 30 (93%) of the OPB presented at least one diagnosis; the average comorbidity was 2.3 diagnoses. OPB of mothers with predominantly manic polarity showed a tendency toward greater suicidal behavior (SB). A significant negative correlation was found between the number of psychopathology dimensions involved and the global functioning (r = −0.52, 95% confidence interval = −0.75-0.21, df = 28, p = 0.003). Conclusion: OPB constitutes a vulnerable pediatric population with a risk of psychopathology and burden.

Keywords: Psychopathology. Bipolar disorders. Parent-child relations.