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Abstract. Emotion-related impulsivity, defined as the tendency to say or do things that one later regret during periods of heightened emotion, has been tied to a broad range of psychopathologies. Previous work has suggested that emotion-related impulsivity is tied to an impaired function of the serotonergic system. Central serotonin synthesis relies on the intake of the essential amino acid, tryptophan and its ability to pass through the blood brain barrier. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the association between emotion-related impulsivity and tryptophan intake. Methods: Undergraduate participants (N = 25, 16 women, 9 men) completed a self-rated measure of impulsivity (Three Factor Impulsivity Index, TFI) and daily logs of their food intake and exercise. These data were coded using the software NutriNote to evaluate intakes of tryptophan, large neutral amino acids, vitamins B6/B12, and exercise. Results: Correlational analyses indicated that higher tryptophan intake was associated with significantly lower scores on two out of three subscales of the TFI, Pervasive Influence of Feelings scores r = –.502, p

Sperm velocity is a key trait that predicts the outcome of sperm competition. By promoting or impeding sperm velocity, females can control fertilization via postcopulatory cryptic female choice. In Chinook salmon, ovarian fluid (OF), which surrounds the ova, mediates sperm velocity according to male and female identity, biasing the outcome of sperm competition towards males with faster sperm. Past investigations have revealed proteome variation in OF, but the specific components of OF that differentially mediate sperm velocity have yet to be characterized. Here we use quantitative proteomics to investigate whether OF protein composition explains variation in sperm velocity and fertilization success. We found that OF proteomes from six females robustly clustered into two groups and that these groups are distinguished by the abundance of a restricted set of proteins significantly associated with sperm velocity. Exposure of sperm to OF from females in group I had faster sperm compared to sperm exposed to the OF of group II females. Overall, OF proteins that distinguished between these groups were enriched for vitellogenin and calcium ion interactions. Our findings suggest that these proteins may form the functional basis for cryptic female choice via the biochemical and physiological mediation of sperm velocity.

There has been extensive discussion about gender gaps in representation and career advancement in the sciences. However, psychological science itself has yet to be the focus of discussion or systematic review, despite our field’s investment in questions of equity, status, well-being, gender bias, and gender disparities. In the present article, we consider 10 topics relevant for women’s career advancement in psychological science. We focus on issues that have been the subject of empirical study, discuss relevant evidence within and outside of psychological science, and draw on established psychological theory and social-science research to begin to chart a path forward. We hope that better understanding of these issues within the field will shed light on areas of existing gender gaps in the discipline and areas where positive change has happened, and spark conversation within our field about how to create lasting change to mitigate remaining gender differences in psychological science.

Background:Involuntary mental imagery is elevated among people with bipolar disorder, and has been shown to shape biases in interpretation of ambiguous information. However, it is not clear whether biases in interpretation of ambiguous scenarios can be observed in those at risk for bipolar disorder, or whether involuntary imagery is related to such a bias.Aims:In the present study, we extended a prominent model of bipolar cognition to an at-risk sample. We specifically tested whether positive interpretation bias and involuntary mental imagery are linked to a greater risk of bipolar disorder.Method:Young adults (N = 169) completed measures of risk for bipolar disorder (the Hypomanic Personality Scale [HPS]), interpretation bias, and involuntary mental imagery.Results:Higher scores on the HPS were significantly correlated with more positive interpretations of ambiguous scenarios (β = 0.29, p p < .01). There was no evidence of an interaction between interpretation bias and mental imagery in predicting HPS score, β = .04, p = .62.Conclusions:Further research is warranted to determine if intrusive imagery or interpretation bias influence the development of bipolar disorder over time in those at risk.

Prior research has indicated that ideal affect (i.e., the affective states that people value and would ideally like to experience) may be relevant to mental health outcomes. Studies to date, however, have not used comprehensive multivariate models that account for covariation among facets of ideal affect and incorporate multiple clinical outcomes. In the present studies, we used structural equation modeling to examine the multivariate effects of ideal affect on symptoms of depression, anxiety, and alcohol abuse in 2 moderately large samples of undergraduates (N = 293 and N = 146). Exploratory results of Study 1 indicated that valuation of high arousal positive affective states was significantly associated with lower depression symptoms but higher anxiety and alcohol abuse symptoms and that valuation of high arousal negative states was specifically associated with greater anxiety symptoms. These results were shown to be structurally invariant across samples and ethnicities in Study 2, which also found that ideal-actual affect discrepancies were significantly associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety. These findings support and extend the hypothesis that ideal affect is implicated in clinical outcomes by highlighting the importance of jointly considering multiple facets of ideal and actual affect as they relate to a range of clinical syndromes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Background Mania is associated with social conflict, reduced social support, and reduced social interaction quality (Breyer et al., 2003; Coryell et al., 1998; Morriss et al., 2007). Chronic stress in interpersonal relationships is related to the worsening of mood symptoms (Kim et al., 2007), suggesting the importance of characterizing the mechanism of interpersonal relationship disruption in bipolar disorder. The current study was designed to investigate exaggerated dominance tendencies present in at-risk individuals (Gardner, 1982; Wilson and Price, 2006), which may represent one such mechanism. Methods Sixty-nine University undergraduate participants (50.7% female, 22 categorized as high mania risk) completed an implicit measure of power motivation and series of self-report questionnaires designed to assess dominance-relevant traits. Results Risk for mania was related to a tendency to experience contempt, and an implicit index of dominance tendencies, and also to trait-like tendencies to experience pride, perceptions of being more powerful and influential across relationships,. Limitations Use of an undergraduate population and a dimensional measure of mania risk (rather than diagnosed individuals) are limitations. Conclusions Mania risk is tied not only to the pursuit of dominance, but also to beliefs and actions consistent with a sense of power. Current findings provide evidence that the dominance system profile observed in those at risk for mania could be one source of interpersonal problems.

Background Theory and research suggest that social dominance is important for multiple forms of psychopathology, and yet few studies have considered multiple dimensions of psychopathology simultaneously, and relatively few have used well-validated behavioral indices. Method Among 81 undergraduates, we used a well-validated experimental approach of assigning participants to a leadership or subordinate position, and we examined how self-rated severity of depression, social anxiety, manic tendencies, and psychopathy relate to psychophysiological and affective reactivity to this role. Results Consistent with hypotheses, manic symptoms related to more discomfort in the subordinate role compared to the leadership role, as evidenced by more decline in positive affect, more discomfort, and a larger RSA decline, while depression symptoms related to a more positive response to the subordinate role than the leadership role, including more positive affect and more comfort in the assigned role. Social anxiety was related to discomfort regardless of the assigned role, and those with higher psychopathy symptoms did not show differential response to assigned roles. Limitations Findings are limited by the mild symptom levels and absence of hormonal data. Conclusions Findings provide novel transdiagnostic evidence for the importance of social dominance to differentiate diverse forms of psychopathology.

Background In a time of rapid environmental change, understanding how the challenges experienced by one generation can influence the fitness of future generations is critically needed. Using tolerance assays and transcriptomic and methylome approaches, we use zebrafish as a model to investigate cross-generational acclimation to hypoxia. Results We show that short-term paternal exposure to hypoxia endows offspring with greater tolerance to acute hypoxia. We detected two hemoglobin genes that are significantly upregulated by more than 6-fold in the offspring of hypoxia exposed males. Moreover, the offspring which maintained equilibrium the longest showed greatest upregulation in hemoglobin expression. We did not detect differential methylation at any of the differentially expressed genes, suggesting that other epigenetic mechanisms are responsible for alterations in gene expression. Conclusions Overall, our findings suggest that an epigenetic memory of past hypoxia exposure is maintained and that this environmentally induced information is transferred to subsequent generations, pre-acclimating progeny to cope with hypoxic conditions.

Background One previous study suggested that the presence of a manic episode before bipolar depression is related to worse response to antidepressants. Method To examine this effect in a larger sample, we used data from the large, multi-site STEP-BD study. We hypothesized that among persons treated with antidepressants for bipolar depression, manic or mixed episodes before depression onset (as compared to euthymia) would predict lower rate of recovery, more sustained depressive symptoms and higher rate of switching into mania/hypomania after antidepressant treatment of bipolar depression. 320 participants were available for analyses (140 male) diagnosed with bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymia, bipolar disorder not otherwise specified, or schizoaffective disorder bipolar subtype. Patients were randomly assigned to 3 treatment randomization strata (placebo, bupropion, and paroxetine) as adjuncts to mood stabilizers. Results Analyses were conducted to examine the effect of episode status before the depressive episode on the degree of change in depressive symptoms at 3 and 6 months, the likelihood of depression recovery and the likelihood of anti-depressant induced switching. Presence of a manic episode before depression in patients with bipolar disorder did not significantly predict response to antidepressants. Limitations The study was limited by a high rate of attrition, and consideration of only two antidepressant medications. Conclusions Our findings are in agreement with other past studies suggesting that mania and depression may operate separately for those with bipolar disorder, with differential predictors of the onset and offset of mania versus depression. Future directions may consider vulnerability for these episodes separately.

Positive urgency, defined as a tendency to become impulsive during positive affective states, has gained support as a form of impulsivity that is particularly important for understanding psychopathology. Despite this, little is known about the emotional mechanisms and correlates of this form of impulsivity. We hypothesized that positive urgency would be related to greater emotional reactivity in response to a positive film clip. Seventy-five undergraduates watched a positive film clip, and a multimodal assessment of emotion was conducted, including subjective emotional experience, physiological activation (i.e., heart rate, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, skin conductance), and facial emotional behavior (i.e., objectively coded using the Facial Action Coding System). Positive urgency was not significantly related to greater positive emotional reactivity but rather a more complex array of emotions expressed in facial behavior, as indexed by similar levels of positive yet greater levels of negative behavior. These findings show that positive urgency may be linked to altered emotionality, but does not appear related to heightened positive emotional reactivity. Potential implications for functional outcomes are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

Objective: Dysfunction in positive affect is a defining symptom of bipolar I disorder (BD), both during and between mood episodes. We hypothesize that helping people with BD learn skills to create balance in their affective experiences by engaging in strategies that increase low activation positive emotion (LAP; e.g., relaxation) could help to improve well-being during periods of symptom remission. We discuss the development and preliminary outcomes of a positive emotion regulation (PER) group treatment for people with BD, designed as a supplement to pharmacological treatment. Method: The Learning Affective Understanding for a Rich Emotional Life (LAUREL) intervention is a group-based intervention covering 10 empirically supported skills designed to increase LAP. Sixteen people with BD enrolled in the LAUREL intervention and twelve completed baseline and post-intervention assessments. Results: Participants who completed the study (n = 12) attended the majority of groups (87.96%) and reported practicing skills, on average, 16 times a week. We were unable to detect significant differences in mania symptoms following engagement in this PER intervention. Finally, participants reported increases in several areas associated with well-being post-intervention, including mindfulness, reappraisal, and self-compassion. Conclusion: This study provides a theoretical framework and preliminary support for a PER intervention for BD.

Although neurocognitive deficits and emotion regulation are closely linked within unipolar depression, little research has tested links between these two variables within bipolar disorder. The present study tested whether working memory is related to individual differences in emotion regulation strategies in bipolar disorder and whether working memory and emotion regulation can explain variability in symptoms over time. Fifty-nine euthymic adults with bipolar I disorder completed a working memory span task, symptom interviews assessing depression and mania, and questionnaires assessing brooding rumination, reappraisal, and suppression. At baseline, working memory was unrelated to emotion regulation. Symptom interviews were repeated at six months (n = 41) and 12 months (n = 36) follow-up. At 12 months, baseline working memory significantly interacted with baseline suppression to predict higher mania. Tests of simple slopes showed that at lower working memory levels, low use of suppression was associated with significantly greater mania symptoms. These results help to clarify previous inconsistent findings regarding cognitive functioning and emotion regulation strategies in bipolar disorder, suggesting that deficits in both domains combine to predict outcomes.

ObjectivesBoth sleep disruption and impulsivity are important predictors of the course of bipolar disorder (BD). Although sleep disruption has been shown to intensify impulsivity, little research has considered how these two important domains interact within BD. Adolescence is a critical period for the onset of BD, and is often associated with increases in impulsivity and substantial changes in sleep. We tested the hypothesis that disruptions in sleep would increase impulsivity among adolescents, and that this effect would be more pronounced among those with BD.MethodsThirteen- to nineteen-year-olds diagnosed with BD-I (n=33, age [mean ± standard deviation (SD)] 16.2± 1.66years, 54.5% female) and psychiatrically healthy controls (n=26, age [mean ± SD] 15.5 ± 1.45years, 55.6% female) reported their past-week bedtime, rise time, and sleep duration, separately for school days and weekends, and completed a self-report questionnaire on impulsivity. Stepwise regression was used to examine the effects of sleep on impulsivity, and the moderation of this effect by BD status.ResultsAdolescents with BD reported significantly higher impulsivity, later and more variable rise time, and more variable time in bed and sleep duration on school days than did controls. Greater change in sleep duration between school days and weekends was associated with significantly more impulsivity among adolescents with BD as compared to controls.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the important effect of sleep on impulsivity among adolescents with BD and add to the growing evidence that establishing sleep routines may be an important therapeutic target for youth with BD.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents, and impulsivity has emerged as a promising marker of risk. The present study tested whether distinct domains of impulsivity are differentially associated with suicide ideation, plans, and attempts. Adolescents (n = 381; boys = 106, girls = 275) aged 13-19years (M = 15.62, SD = 1.41) were recruited from an acute, residential treatment program. Within 48h of admission to the hospital, participants were administered structured clinical interviews assessing mental health disorders and suicidality. Following these interviews, participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing symptom severity and impulsivity. Consistent with past research, an exploratory factor analysis of our 90-item impulsivity instrument resulted in a three-factor solution: Pervasive Influence of Feelings, Feelings Trigger Action, and Lack of Follow-Through. Concurrent analysis of these factors confirmed hypotheses of unique associations with suicide ideation and attempts in the past month. Specifically, whereas Pervasive Influence of Feelings (i.e., tendency for emotions to shape thoughts about the self and the future) is uniquely associated with greater suicidal ideation, Feelings Trigger Action (i.e., impulsive behavioral reactivity to emotions) is uniquely associated with the occurrence of suicide attempts, even after controlling for current psychiatric diagnoses and symptoms. Exploratory gender analyses revealed that these effects were significant in female but not male adolescents. These findings provide new insight about how specific domains of impulsivity differentially increase risk for suicide ideation and attempts. Implications for early identification and prevention of youth suicide are discussed.

Despite the centrality of emotion disturbance in neurobiological models of bipolar disorder, the behavioral literature has not yet clearly identified the most central aspects of emotion disturbance in bipolar disorder. Toward this aim, we gathered a battery of emotion-related measures in 67 persons diagnosed with bipolar I disorder as assessed with the SCID and a well-matched control group of 58 persons without a history of mood disorders. Those with bipolar disorder were interviewed monthly until they achieved remission, and then tested on emotion measures. A subset of 36 participants with bipolar disorder completed symptom severity interviews at 12-month follow-up. Factor analyses indicated 4 emotion factor scores: Negative Emotion, Positive Emotion, Reappraisal, and Suppression. Bivariate analyses suggested that bipolar disorder was tied to a host of emotion disturbances, but multivariate analyses suggested that bipolar disorder was particularly tied to elevations of Negative Emotion. High Negative Emotion, low Positive Emotion, and high Suppression were conjointly related to lower functioning. Reappraisal predicted declines in depression over time for those with bipolar disorder. Findings highlight the importance of considering the overall profile of emotion disturbance in bipolar disorder. Emotion and emotion regulation appear central to a broad range of outcomes in bipolar disorder.

Recent evidence suggests that anger and aggression are of concern even during remission for persons with bipolar I disorder, although there is substantial variability in the degree of anger and aggression across individuals. Little research is available to examine psychological models of anger and aggression for those with remitted bipolar disorder, and that was the goal of this study. Participants were 58 persons diagnosed with bipolar I disorder using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, who were followed with monthly symptom severity interviews until they achieved remission, and then assessed using the Aggression-Short Form. We examined traditional predictors of clinical parameters and trauma exposure, and then considered three trait domains that have been shown to be elevated in bipolar disorder and have also been linked to aggression outside of bipolar disorder: emotion-relevant impulsivity, approach motivation, and dominance-related constructs. Emotion-relevant impulsivity was related to anger, hostility, verbal aggression, and physical aggression, even after controlling for clinical variables. Findings extend the importance of emotion-relevant impulsivity to another important clinical outcome and suggest the promise of using psychological models to understand the factors driving aggression and anger problems that persist into remission among persons with bipolar disorder.

Trait-like tendencies to respond impulsively to emotion, labelled emotion-related impulsivity, are robustly related to aggression. We developed and tested an online intervention to address emotion-related impulsivity and aggression. The 6-session intervention focused on behavioral techniques shown to decrease arousal and aggression, supplemented with implementation intentions and smartphone prompts to facilitate skills transfer into daily life. First, we piloted the intervention in-person with 4 people. Then, 235 participants were randomly assigned to take the online intervention immediately or after a wait-list period; those in the waitlist were then invited to take part in the intervention. Participants completed the self-rated Feelings Trigger Action Scale to assess emotion-related impulsivity, the interview-based Modified Overt Aggression Scale and the self-rated Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire. Participants who took part in the treatment completed daily anger logs. Attrition, as with other online programs, was high; however, treatment completers reported high satisfaction, and outcomes changed more rapidly during treatment than waitlist across all key outcome indices. In analyses including all participants who took part in the treatment (immediate or delayed), we observed moderate-to-large treatment gains, which were maintained as of the 3-month follow-up assessment. This work supports the usefulness of an intervention for addressing emotion-related impulsivity and aggression.

Increasingly, studies are revealing that endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can alter animal behavior. Early life exposure to EDCs may permanently alter phenotypes through to adulthood. In addition, the effects of EDCs may not be isolated to a single generation - offspring may indirectly be impacted, via non-genetic processes. Here, we analyzed the effects of paternal atrazine exposure on behavioral traits (distance moved, exploration, bottom-dwelling time, latency to enter the top zone, and interaction with a mirror) and whole-brain mRNA of genes involved in the serotonergic system regulation (slc6a4a, slc6a4b, htr1Aa, htr1B, htr2B) of zebrafish (Danio rerio). F0 male zebraFIsh were exposed to atrazine at 0.3, 3 or 30 part per billion (ppb) during early juvenile development, the behavior of F1 progeny was tested at adulthood, and the effect of 0.3 ppb atrazine treatment on mRNA transcription was quantified. Paternal exposure to atrazine significantly reduced interactions with a mirror (a proxy for aggression) and altered the latency to enter the top zone of a tank in unexposed F1 offspring. Bottom-dwelling time (a proxy for anxiety) also appeared to be somewhat affected, and activity (distance moved) was reduced in the context of aggression. slc6a4a and htr1Aa mRNA transcript levels were found to correlate positively with anxiety levels in controls, but we found that this relationship was disrupted in the 0.3 ppb atrazine treatment group. Overall, paternal atrazine exposure resulted in alterations across a variety of behavioral traits and showed signs of serotonergic system dysregulation, demonstrating intergenerational effects. Further research is needed to explore transgenerational effects on behavior and possible mechanisms underpinning behavioral effects.

Background Maladaptive perfectionism is a transdiagnostic risk and maintaining factor for a range of mental health conditions, including bipolar disorder (BD). Self-compassion represents a potential protective factor against maladaptive perfectionism, however no studies to date have examined the relationship of these constructs in BD. The aim of the present study was to examine associations between maladaptive perfectionism, self-compassion and symptoms among individuals with BD. Methods Baseline data were collected from 302 participants with a DSM-IV diagnosis of BD participating in an international randomised controlled trial. Participants completed measures of maladaptive perfectionism, self-compassion, symptom severity and emotion regulation difficulties. Clinician-administered measures of depression and mania severity were additionally collected. Correlation and mediation analyses were conducted. Results Maladaptive perfectionism was positively associated with depression, anxiety and emotion regulation difficulties. Lower levels of self-compassion correlated with greater self-reported depression, anxiety and emotion regulation difficulties. Self-compassion partially mediated relationships between maladaptive perfectionism, depression, anxiety and emotion regulation difficulties. Limitations The cross-sectional design limits conclusions about causal relationships between study variables. Results may not be generalizable to other BD populations. The role of maladaptive perfectionism and self-compassion in elevated mood states of BD remains unclear. Conclusion Self-compassion represents one mechanism through which maladaptive perfectionism influences symptoms of depression, anxiety and emotion regulation difficulties in BD. Self-compassion represents a modifiable treatment target; individuals with BD exhibiting maladaptive perfectionistic tendencies may benefit from interventions fostering self-compassion.

Background The primary objective of this randomised controlled trial (RCT) is to establish the effectiveness of a novel online quality of life (QoL) intervention tailored for people with late stage (≥ 10 episodes) bipolar disorder (BD) compared with psychoeducation. Relative to early stage individuals, this late stage group may not benefit as much from existing psychosocial treatments. The intervention is a guided self-help, mindfulness based intervention (MBI) developed in consultation with consumers, designed specifically for web-based delivery, with email coaching support. Methods/design This international RCT will involve a comparison of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of two 5-week adjunctive online self-management interventions: Mindfulness for Bipolar 2.0 and an active control (Psychoeducation for Bipolar). A total of 300 participants will be recruited primarily via social media channels. Main inclusion criteria are: a diagnosis of BD (confirmed via a phone-administered structured diagnostic interview), no current mood episode, history of 10 or more mood episodes, no current psychotic features or active suicidality, under the care of a medical practitioner. Block randomisation will be used for allocation to the interventions, and participants will retain access to the program for 6 months. Evaluations will be conducted at pre- and post- treatment, and at 3- and 6- months follow-up. The primary outcome measure will be the Brief Quality of Life in Bipolar Disorder Scale (Brief QoL.BD), collected immediately post-intervention at 5 weeks (T1). Secondary measures include BD-related symptoms (mania, depression, anxiety, stress), time to first relapse, functioning, sleep quality, social rhythm stability and resource use. Measurements will be collected online and via telephone assessments at baseline (T0), 5 weeks (T1), three months (T2) and six months (T3). Candidate moderators (diagnosis, anxiety or substance comorbidities, demographics and current treatments) will be investigated as will putative therapeutic mechanisms including mindfulness, emotion regulation and self-compassion. A cost-effectiveness analysis will be conducted. Acceptability and any unwanted events (including adverse treatment reactions) will be documented and explored. Discussion This definitive trial will test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a novel QoL focused, mindfulness based, online guided self-help intervention for late stage BD, and investigate its putative mechanisms of therapeutic action. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03197974. Registered 23 June 2017. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12888-018-1805-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Models of ageing predict that sperm function and fertility should decline with age as sperm are exposed to free radical damage and mutation accumulation. However, theory also suggests that mating with older males should be beneficial for females because survival to old age is a demonstration of a male's high genetic and/or phenotypic quality. Consequently, declines in sperm fitness may be offset by indirect fitness benefits exhibited in offspring. While numerous studies have investigated age-based declines in male fertility, none has taken the integrated approach of studying age-based effects on both male fertility and offspring fitness. Here, using a cohort-based longitudinal study of zebrafish ( Danio rerio ), we report a decline in male mating success and fertility with male age but also compensating indirect benefits. Using in vitro fertilization, we show that offspring from older males exhibit superior early survival compared to those from their youngest counterparts. These findings suggest that the high offspring fitness observed for the subset of males that survive to an old age (approx. 51% in this study) may represent compensating benefits for declining fertility with age, thus challenging widely held views about the fitness costs of mating with older males.

Researchers and clinicians have long noted the overlap among features and high comorbidity of bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. The shared features of impulsivity and labile mood in both disorders make them challenging to distinguish. We tested the hypothesis that variables related to goal dysregulation would be uniquely related to risk for mania, while emotion-relevant impulsivity would be related to risk for both disorders. We administered a broad range of measures related to goal regulation traits and impulsivity to 214 undergraduates. Findings confirmed that risk for mania, but not for borderline personality disorder, was related to higher sensitivity to reward and intense pursuit of goals. In contrast, borderline personality disorder symptoms related more strongly than did mania risk with threat sensitivity and with impulsivity in the context of negative affect. Results highlight potential differences and commonalities in mania risk versus borderline personality disorder risk.

OBJECTIVE: Beyond evidence for an association, little is known about the mechanism linking creativity bipolar spectrum conditions. Theory suggests that ambition, which is heightened in bipolar disorder (BD) and associated with creativity in the general population, might be an important variable. The overarching aim of this project was to evaluate whether ambition is related to creativity among those with bipolar spectrum conditions. METHOD: Across two studies, we examined correlations between a validated self-report measure of ambition, the WASSUP, and creativity. In Study One, 22 individuals diagnosed with BD who self-identified as highly creative completed the WASSUP and a measure of lifetime creative accomplishment. In Study Two, 221 undergraduates completed the WASSUP, a measure of mania risk (the Hypomanic Personality Scale, HPS) and a measure designed to assess creativity in business projects and tasks. RESULTS: In Study One, WASSUP scores were significantly elevated compared to normative levels in BD, and WASSUP scores were correlated with lifetime creative accomplishment within the artistic sample. In Study Two, mania risk was related to greater ambition and creativity, and ambition was also directly related to greater creativity. LIMITATIONS: Both studies were limited by the reliance on self-reported ambition. CONCLUSION: Ambition could be one important component of creative success across the bipolar spectrum.

Bipolar disorder (BD) has been related to heightened creativity, yet core questions remain unaddressed about this association. We used qualitative methods to investigate how highly creative individuals with BD understand the role of symptoms and treatment in their creativity, and possible mechanisms underpinning this link. Twenty-two individuals self-identified as highly creative and living with BD took part in focus groups and completed quantitative measures of symptoms, quality of life (QoL), and creativity. Using thematic analysis, five themes emerged: the pros and cons of mania for creativity, benefits of altered thinking, the relationship between creativity and medication, creativity as central to one’s identity, and creativity’s importance in stigma reduction and treatment. Despite reliance on a small sample who self-identified as having BD, findings shed light on previously mixed results regarding the influence of mania and treatment and suggest new directions for the study of mechanisms driving the creative advantage in BD.

Background Substantial literature has linked bipolar disorder and risk for bipolar disorder with creative accomplishment, but few multimodal studies of creativity are available, and little is known about mechanisms. Methods We use a multi-method approach to test the association of bipolar risk with several creativity measures, including creative accomplishments, creative personality traits, and a laboratory index of insight. We also examined whether multiple facets of motivation accounted for the links of bipolar risk with creativity. Among 297 undergraduates, mania risk, as measured with the Hypomanic Personality Scale was related to lifetime creativity and creative personality, but not to performance on the insight task. Motivational traits appeared to mediate the links of mania risk with both lifetime creative accomplishments and self-rated creativity. Limitations The study relied on a cross-sectional design and a convenience sample. Conclusions Future studies would benefit from exploring motivation as a positive aspect of manic vulnerability that may foster greater creativity.

Introduction People with bipolar disorder often show more approach-related behavior and positive appraisals of others during social interactions. This may be due to an increased sensitivity to positive contexts or to tendencies toward positive affectivity. In this study, we investigated the influence of reward versus prosocial positive contexts on social decision-making in people at high (n = 21) and low (n = 111) risk for bipolar disorder. Methods Participants completed a computerized task consisting of two blocks. In the No Context block, participants were presented with a face and asked to make decisions related to approach, appraisal, and trust behavior toward that person. In the Context block, designed to assess the influence of contextual information on decision-making, each face was preceded by a written statement describing a positive or neutral context. Results Compared to the low risk group, the high-risk group made significantly higher approach and appraisal ratings, regardless of the context condition. Effects were sustained controlling for positive affect. We did not find any effect of bipolar risk on trust ratings. Limitations The study was conducted in an analogue sample. Discussion Taken together, these results suggest risk for bipolar disorder is associated with greater positive social approach and appraisal tendencies, and that these effects are not secondary to social context or positive affect. Implications for understanding social decision-making in the bipolar spectrum are discussed.

BackgroundComorbid psychiatric symptoms in bipolar disorder (BD) predict poorer course of illness and treatment outcome. The sheer number of comorbid symptoms has thwarted developing treatments to address these comorbid concerns. The goal of this study was to develop a more parsimonious approach to understanding clusters of comorbid symptoms within BD.MethodData were collected as part of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Structured diagnostic interviews were conducted with 43,093 participants using the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-DSM-IV (AUDADIS-IV). Analyses were conducted on lifetime symptom counts for the most common 14 comorbid disorders among the 1411 persons who met lifetime criteria for bipolar I disorder.ResultsAn exploratory factor analysis with promax rotation as well as confirmatory factor analyses revealed a three-factor solution of Externalizing, Anxiety, and Mood syndromes, with a higher order Internalizing factor comprised of the Mood and Anxiety factors.LimitationsFurther research is needed in a clinical sample.ConclusionsComorbid symptoms in BD tend to cohere into Internalizing and Externalizing disorders, which could simplify research and treatment on comorbidity in BD.

Reward function appears to be modulated by the circadian system, but little is known about the neural basis of this interaction. Previous research suggests that the neural reward response may be different in the afternoon; however, the direction of this effect is contentious. Reward response may follow the diurnal rhythm in self-reported positive affect, peaking in the early afternoon. An alternative is that daily reward response represents a type of prediction error, with neural reward activation relatively high at times of day when rewards are unexpected (i.e., early and late in the day). The present study measured neural reward activation in the context of a validated reward task at 10.00 h, 14.00 h, and 19.00 h in healthy human males. A region of interest BOLD fMRI protocol was used to investigate the diurnal waveform of activation in reward-related brain regions. Multilevel modeling found, as expected, a highly significant quadratic time-of-day effect focusing on the left putamen (p< 0.001). Consistent with the “prediction error” hypothesis, activation was significantly higher at 10.00 h and 19.00 h compared with 14.00 h. It is provisionally concluded that the putamen may be particularly important in endogenous priming of reward motivation at different times of day, with the pattern of activation consistent with circadian-modulated reward expectancies in neural pathways (i.e., greater activation to reward stimuli at unexpected times of day). This study encourages further research into circadian modulation of reward and underscores the methodological importance of accounting for time of day in fMRI protocols.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThis is one of the first studies to use a repeated-measures imaging procedure to explore the diurnal rhythm of reward activation. Although self-reported reward (most often operationalized as positive affect) peaks in the afternoon, the present findings indicate that neural activation is lowest at this time. We conclude that the diurnal neural activation pattern may reflect a prediction error of the brain, where rewards at unexpected times (10.00 h and 19.00 h) elicit higher activation in reward brain regions than at expected (14.00 h) times. These data also have methodological significance, suggesting that there may be a time of day influence, which should be accounted for in neural reward studies.

Background Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is a cognitive process that is repetitive, passive, relatively uncontrollable, and focused on negative content, and is elevated in emotional disorders including depression and anxiety disorders. Repetitive positive thinking is associated with bipolar disorder symptoms. The unique contributions of positive versus negative repetitive thinking to emotional symptoms are unknown. The first aim of this study was to use confirmatory factor analyses to evaluate the psychometrics of two transdiagnostic measures of RNT, the Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire (RTQ-10) and Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ), and a measure of repetitive positive thinking, the Responses to Positive Affect (RPA) Questionnaire. The second aim was to determine incremental predictive utility of these measures. Method All measures were administered to a sample of 2088 undergraduate students from the Netherlands (n = 992), Australia (n = 698), and America (n = 398). Results Unidimensional, bifactor, and three-factor models were supported for the RTQ-10, PTQ, and RPA, respectively. A common factor measured by all PTQ items explained most variance in PTQ scores suggesting that this measure is essentially unidimensional. The RNT factor of the RTQ-10 demonstrated the strongest predictive utility, although the PTQ was also uniquely although weakly associated with anxiety, depression, and mania symptoms. The RPA dampening factor uniquely predicted anxiety and depression symptoms, suggesting that this scale is a separable process to RNT as measured by the RTQ-10 and PTQ. Limitations Findings were cross-sectional and need to be replicated in clinical samples. Conclusions Transdiagnostic measures of RNT are essentially unidimensional, whereas RPA is multidimensional. RNT and RPA have unique predictive utility.

In a range of taxa, the relatedness between mates influences both pre- and post-mating processes of sexual selection. However, relatively little is known about the genetic loci facilitating such a bias, with the exception of the major histocompatibility complex. Here, we performed tightly controlled replicated in vitro fertilization trials to explore the impact of relatedness on two possible mechanisms of cryptic female choice (CFC) in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). We tested (i) whether relatedness of mates, assessed using 682 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on 29 SNP-linkage groups (LGs), biases a male's sperm velocity in ovarian fluid (a parameter previously shown to predict male fertilization success), and (ii) whether relatedness of mates governs fertilization success via other mechanisms, probably via sperm–egg interactions. We found that relatedness on three LGs explained the variation in sperm velocity, and relatedness on two LGs explained fertilization success, which might indicate the presence of genes important in sperm–ovarian fluid and sperm–egg interactions in these genomic regions. Mapping of the SNPs on these LGs to the rainbow trout genome revealed two genes that affect fertility in humans and represent candidate genes for further studies. Our results thereby provide a novel contribution to the understanding of the mechanism of CFC.

Motivational and hedonic impairments are core features of a variety of types of psychopathology. An important aspect of motivational function is reinforcement learning (RL), including implicit (i.e., outside of conscious awareness) and explicit (i.e., including explicit representations about potential reward associations) learning, as well as both positive reinforcement (learning about actions that lead to reward) and punishment (learning to avoid actions that lead to loss). Here we present data from paradigms designed to assess both positive and negative components of both implicit and explicit RL, examine performance on each of these tasks among individuals with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder with psychosis, and examine their relative relationships to specific symptom domains transdiagnostically. None of the diagnostic groups differed significantly from controls on the implicit RL tasks in either bias toward a rewarded response or bias away from a punished response. However, on the explicit RL task, both the individuals with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder performed significantly worse than controls, but the individuals with bipolar did not. Worse performance on the explicit RL task, but not the implicit RL task, was related to worse motivation and pleasure symptoms across all diagnostic categories. Performance on explicit RL, but not implicit RL, was related to working memory, which accounted for some of the diagnostic group differences. However, working memory did not account for the relationship of explicit RL to motivation and pleasure symptoms. These findings suggest transdiagnostic relationships across the spectrum of psychotic disorders between motivation and pleasure impairments and explicit RL. (PsycINFO Database Record

A growing body of research suggests that impulsive responses to emotion more robustly predict suicidality than do other forms of impulsivity. This issue has not yet been examined within bipolar disorder, however. Participants diagnosed with bipolar I disorder (n=133) and control participants (n=110) diagnosed with no mood or psychotic disorder completed self-report measures of emotion-triggered impulsivity (Negative and Positive Urgency Scales) and interviews concerning lifetime suicidality. Analyses examined the effects of emotion-triggered impulsivity alone and in combination with gender, age of onset, depression severity, comorbid anxiety, comorbid substance use, and medication. A history of suicide ideation and attempts, as well as self-harm, were significantly more common in the bipolar disorder group compared with the control group. Impulsive responses to positive emotions related to suicide ideation, attempts, and self-harm within the bipolar group. Findings extend research on the importance of emotion-triggered impulsivity to a broad range of key outcomes within bipolar disorder. The discussion focuses on limitations and potential clinical implications.

Research has implicated motivation and goal regulation in susceptibility to mood disorders. We studied for the first time key facets of motivation and goal regulation concurrently in relation to affective symptoms. The cross-national sample comprised 510 university students from the United States (n = 279) and United Kingdom (n = 231). Participants completed self-report measures of motivation, conditional goal setting, urgency, depression, anxiety, and mania risk. Structural Equation Modeling results found that behavioral activation system scores correlated negatively with depression and positively with mania risk, but were unrelated to anxiety. High conditional goal setting correlated uniquely with higher depression but not to anxiety or mania risk. Urgency correlated with higher anxiety, depression, and mania risk. Behavioral inhibition system scores correlated negatively with mania risk but unexpectedly did not correlate with anxiety in the multivariate model. The behavioral activation, behavioral inhibition, conditional goal setting, and urgency results showed shared and distinct patterns of relationships with depression, anxiety and mania risk. Our findings indicate unique and common risk vulnerabilities in depressive, anxious, and manic syndromes and extend an integrative knowledge of these syndromes in relation to goal regulation.

Objectives The dominance behavioural system (DBS) is multi-faceted, and various aspects of this system have links with a range of psychopathologies. Different scales have been used across psychopathologies though, and no single measure captures the core dimensions of the DBS. Our goal was to assess the importance of multiple DBS dimensions across psychopathologies. Methods Undergraduates (N = 612) completed a broad set of dominance items (many from pre-existing measures) and measures of lifetime depression, anxiety, and manic symptoms. Results Factor analysis suggested six distinct DBS factors: Authentic Pride, Hubristic Pride, Cooperation, Power/Influence, Discomfort with Leadership, and Ruthless Ambition. Depressive and anxious symptoms related to notably similar DBS profiles, characterized by lower authentic pride, lower perceived power, and greater willingness to endorse hubris. In contrast, hypomanic tendencies related to heightened pride, and an emphasis on the pursuit of power despite interpersonal costs. Conclusions With a multi-faceted approach, the DBS appears to be relevant for understanding multiple forms of psychopathology. Although limited by the reliance on self-report questionnaires, this is the first transdiagnostic study to consider these multiple facets of the DBS. Practitioner points The dominance system involves multiple separable dimensions. Manic tendencies appear tied to experiencing a heightened sense of pride and being willing to use more aggressive behavioural strategies to pursue dominance. Anxious and depressive tendencies appear particularly tied to low levels of subjective power, and more willingness to describe oneself as having hubris. Pride, the subjective sense of achieving power, and behavioural approaches to achieving power appear to be important dimensions of the dominance system for understanding psychopathology.

Studies on depression risk emphasize the importance of both cognitive and genetic vulnerability factors. The present study has provided the first examination of whether working memory capacity, the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism, and their interaction predict changes in symptoms of depression during the transition to university. Early in the semester, students completed a self-report measure of depressive symptoms and a modified version of the reading span task to assess working memory capacity in the presence of both neutral and negative distractors. Whole blood was genotyped for the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism. Students returned at the end of the semester to complete additional self-report questionnaires. Neither working memory capacity nor the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism predicted change in depressive symptoms either independently or in interaction with self-reported semester difficulty. The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism, however, moderated the association between working memory capacity and symptom change. Among met carriers, lower working memory capacity in the presence of negative-but not neutral-distractors was associated with increased symptoms of depression over the semester. For the val/val group, working memory capacity did not predict symptom change. These findings contribute directly to biological and cognitive models of depression and highlight the importance of examining Gene × Cognition interactions when investigating risk for depression.

Background Research suggests that people with bipolar disorder may be highly motivated to attain dominance and may over-estimate their social power ( Johnson and Carver, 2012 ). This manic temperament may provide an adaptive advantage in the pursuit of dominance and leadership ( Akiskal and Akiskal, 1992 ). It was hypothesized that people at high risk for bipolar disorder, as defined by the Hypomanic Personality Scale (HPS), would fail to assume a submissive role when it was appropriate to do so. Method Participants (81 undergraduates) completed an image description task with a confederate. Participants were randomly assigned to interact with a confederate who assumed one of three nonverbal postures: dominant (expanded), neutral, or submissive (constricted). Nonverbal dominance behavior was defined as the rate at which participants expanded their body span during the task. Results Consistent with hypotheses, an ANOVA indicated an interaction of Mania risk x Dominance condition on body expansion. Whereas participants with low mania risk (HPS scores) adapted complementary behavior in response to the confederate, participants with high mania risk demonstrated a consistently dominant (expanded) nonverbal posture. Limitations A major limitation of this study is the use of an analog measure of mania risk in place of clinical diagnoses. Conclusions In this experiment, participants at high risk for mania maintained a dominant posture even when submissiveness would have been more appropriate. It is argued that persistent dominance behavior may play an important role in the interpersonal interactions of individuals at risk for bipolar disorder.

Affective instability (AI) is as a central component of a number of psychiatric disorders, but it has received relatively little empirical attention as an individual construct. The goal of the current study was to study AI in the context of a broad empirical network of relevant constructs and compare its pattern of relations with those generated by trait neuroticism, both of which were assessed using both self- and informant reports. In a sample of 343 college students, the present study examined the correlations generated by an AI factor (derived from a factor analysis of relevant scales) in comparison to neuroticism in relation to personality and etiological and outcome variables. An exploratory factor analysis revealed a one-factor structure of AI related to the experience of intense and changeable negative affect and subsequent physical and behavioral consequences. The correlations generated by self- and informant reports of AI with these external criteria were almost perfectly correlated with the correlations demonstrated by self- and informant reports of neuroticism. Self- and informant reports of AI generated a pattern of results consistent with its role in a number of psychological disorders that are associated with substantial impairment. The current data suggest that AI might be best conceived of as largely overlapping with neuroticism rather than as a distinct construct.

Objective Bipolar disorder has been associated with elevated impulsivity – a complex construct subsuming multiple facets. We aimed to compare specific facets of impulsivity in bipolar disorder, including those related to key psychological correlates of the illness: reward sensitivity and strong emotion. Method Ninety-one individuals diagnosed with bipolar I disorder (inter-episode period) and 80 controls completed several well-validated impulsivity measures, including those relevant to reward (Fun-seeking subscale of the Behavioral Activation System scale) and emotion (Positive Urgency and Negative Urgency scales). Results Bipolar participants reported higher impulsivity scores than did controls on all of the impulsivity measures, except the Fun-seeking subscale of the Behavioral Activation System scale. Positive Urgency – a measure assessing the tendency to act impulsively when experiencing strong positive emotion – yielded the largest group differences: F(1,170) = 78.69, P

Objectives A growing empirical literature indicates that emotion-related impulsivity (compared to impulsivity that is unrelated to emotion) is particularly relevant for understanding a broad range of psychopathologies. Recent work, however, has differentiated two forms of emotion-related impulsivity: A factor termed Pervasive Influence of Feelings captures tendencies for emotions (mostly negative emotions) to quickly shape thoughts, and a factor termed Feelings Trigger Action captures tendencies for positive and negative emotions to quickly and reflexively shape behaviour and speech. This study used path modelling to consider links from emotion-related and non-emotion-related impulsivity to a broad range of psychopathologies. Design and methods Undergraduates completed self-report measures of impulsivity, depression, anxiety, aggression, and substance use symptoms. Results A path model (N = 261) indicated specificity of these forms of impulsivity. Pervasive Influence of Feelings was related to anxiety and depression, whereas Feelings Trigger Action and non-emotion-related impulsivity were related to aggression and substance use. Conclusions The findings of this study suggest that emotion-relevant impulsivity could be a potentially important treatment target for a set of psychopathologies. Practitioner points Recent work has differentiated two forms of emotion-related impulsivity. This study tests a multivariate path model linking emotion-related and non-emotion-related impulsivity with multiple forms of psychopathology. Impulsive thoughts in response to negative emotions were related to anxiety and depression. Impulsive actions in response to emotions were related to aggression and substance use, as did non-emotion-related impulsivity. The study was limited by the reliance on self-report measures of impulsivity and psychopathology. There is a need for longitudinal work on how these forms of impulsivity predict the onset and course of psychopathology.

ObjectivesDue to the serious and recurrent nature of bipolar disorder, continuous long-term medication treatment is typically recommended. Little is known about whether these treatment recommendations are effectively implemented for Hispanics. This study examined differences in mood stabilizer use and mental health service utilization between adult English-speaking Hispanic and non-Hispanic white respondents with bipolar disorder.MethodsThe sample included 163 participants with lifetime bipolar I and II disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Demographics, symptom presentation, and acculturation were examined as covariates.ResultsNone of the 26 Hispanic respondents were taking mood-stabilizing medication, compared to 21% of non-Hispanic whites, and Hispanics were less likely to receive medications for emotional problems, see a professional for manic episodes, or attend psychotherapy. Even after accounting for differences in symptom profiles and sociodemographics, ethnicity continued to be a significant predictor of mood stabilizer use and psychotherapy attendance. There was a non-significant trend toward lower acculturation among Hispanics being associated with even poorer service utilization.ConclusionsNo Hispanics were receiving minimally adequate treatment for their bipolar disorder. Future research should focus on identifying the barriers that lead to these stark ethnic disparities in treatment.

Introduction: Bipolar disorder is a severe and chronic mental health problem that persists into older adulthood. The number of people living with this condition is set to rise as the UK experiences a rapid ageing of its population. To date, there has\ud been very little research or service development with respect to psychological therapies for this group of people.\ud \ud Methods and analysis: A parallel two-arm randomised controlled trial comparing a 14-session, 6-month Recovery-focused Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Older Adults with bipolar disorder (RfCBT-OA) plus treatment as usual (TAU) versus TAU\ud alone. Participants will be recruited in the North-West of England via primary and secondary mental health services and through self-referral. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of RfCBT-OA; therefore, a formal power calculation is not appropriate. It has been estimated that randomising 25 participants per group will be sufficient to be able to reliably determine the primary feasibility outcomes (eg, recruitment and retention rates), in line with recommendations for sample sizes for feasibility/pilot trials. Participants in both arms will complete assessments at baseline and then every 3 months, over the 12-month follow-up period. We will gain an estimate of the likely effect size of RfCBTOA on a range of clinical outcomes and estimate parameters needed to determine the appropriate sample size for a definitive, larger trial to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of RfCBT-OA. Data analysis is discussed further in the Analysis section in the main paper.\ud \ud Ethics and dissemination: This protocol was approved by the UK National Health Service (NHS) Ethics Committee process (REC ref: 15/NW/0330). The findings of the trial will be disseminated through peerreviewed journals, national and international conference presentations and local, participating NHS trusts.\ud \ud Trial registration number: ISRCTN13875321; Preresults.

A growing body of evidence suggests that people with bipolar disorder are highly goal-oriented. Compared to other persons, they expend more effort to attain rewards and view goal pursuit as more important to their self-worth. Persons at risk for mania and those diagnosed with bipolar spectrum disorders have been shown to endorse highly ambitious life goals, such as becoming a multimillionaire or achieving fame. This study is the first examination of whether such elevated goals characterize persons diagnosed with bipolar I disorder. We also examined whether elevated ambitions predicted symptom change over time. Ninety-two persons with bipolar I disorder and 81 age- and sex-matched controls completed the Willingly Approached Set of Statistically Unlikely Pursuits, a measure of extremely high life ambitions. A subset of the bipolar participants completed a 3-month follow-up interview. Participants with bipolar disorder endorsed higher ambitions for popular fame than did controls; moreover, heightened ambitions for popular fame and financial success predicted increases in manic symptoms in those with bipolar disorder over the next three months. Discussion focuses on goal regulation in bipolar disorder.

Rumination has been consistently implicated in the onset and maintenance of depression. Less work has examined rumination in the context of bipolar disorder, especially rumination about positive emotion. The present study examined rumination about negative and positive emotion in interepisode bipolar disorder (BD; n = 39) and healthy controls (CTL; n = 34). Trait rumination about positive and negative emotion, as well as experiential and physiological responses to a rumination induction, was measured. Illness course was also assessed for the BD group. Results indicated that the BD group reported greater trait rumination about positive and negative emotion compared with the CTL group, though no group differences emerged during the rumination induction. For the BD group, trait rumination about positive and negative emotion, as well as increased cardiovascular arousal (i.e., heart rate), was associated with greater lifetime depression frequency; trait rumination about positive emotion was associated with greater lifetime mania frequency. These findings suggest that interepisode BD is associated with greater rumination about positive and negative emotion, which in turn is associated with illness course.

The serotonin transporter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) val66met polymorphism have both been linked to depression symptoms and to depression diagnosis (MDD) in interaction with adversity; there have also been failures to find the effects. We reexamined both interactions for lifetime MDD in a college sample. Lifetime MDD was diagnosed by Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV in 133 undergraduates; genotypes for 5-HTTLPR and BDNF were assayed from blood, and self-reports were collected concerning childhood adversity (Risk). 5-HTTLPR interacted with Risk such that Risk predicted less likelihood of MDD among ll carriers and tended to predict greater likelihood of MDD among s carriers. BDNF interacted with Risk such that Risk predicted greater likelihood of MDD among met carriers and did not influence val/val carriers. These two interactions were additive: both were significant in a combined model.

Background-This study investigated the usefulness of self-report scales for detecting bipolar disorder in several settings. Methods-Study 1 developed a short form of the Hypomanic Personality Scale (the HPS-6) based on clinic/community and undergraduate samples. Study 2 used this scale for recruiting participants with bipolar disorder from the community. Study 3 administered the full-length Hypomanic Personality Scale, the Mood Disorder Questionnaire, and a short form of the General Behavior Inventory (the GBI-15) to an undergraduate sample. Each study featured a reference standard diagnostic interview. Results-In Study 2, about half of those responding to the advertisement (based on the HPS-6 developed in Study 1) reported a history of at least one hypomanic episode on a telephone-based SCID. In Study 3, the most robust findings emerged for the GBI-15: about one-third of participants screening positive on that measure met criteria for bipolar disorder using the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV (SCID). Limitations-Despite large sample sizes and stratified sampling, this study was limited by a low number of participants with bipolar I disorder. Conclusions-These three studies produced mixed findings regarding the detection of bipolar disorder via self-report. The HPS-6 was reasonably successful in recruiting participants with a history of at least one manic or hypomanic episode into a study on bipolar disorder. The GBI-15 showed some promise as a screening tool in an undergraduate setting, but there is a need for more sensitive and specific scales. Discussion focuses on potential strategies for developing such scales.

Prior research suggests that a traitlike tendency to experience impulsivity during states of high emotion is robustly associated with many forms of psychopathology. Several studies tie emotion-related impulsivity to response inhibition deficits, but these studies have not focused on the role of emotion or arousal within subjects. The present study tested whether arousal, measured by pupil dilation, amplifies deficits in response inhibition for those high in emotion-related impulsivity. Participants (N=85) completed a measure of emotion-related impulsivity, underwent a positive mood induction procedure that reduced heterogeneity in mood states, and completed a response inhibition task. Pupil dilation was used to index arousal during the response inhibition task. Generalized linear mixed effect modeling yielded the hypothesized interaction between arousal (pupil dilation) and emotion-related impulsivity in predicting response inhibition performance at the trial level. Emotion-related impulsivity relates to more difficulties with response inhibition during moments of high arousal.

In an experience-sampling study, we tested the influence of goal progress on subsequent effort toward that goal among persons with bipolar disorder (BD) and among control subjects without BD. We hypothesized, overall, that unexpectedly low progress toward a goal would lead to an increase in subsequent effort toward that goal, and unexpectedly high progress would lead to a decrease in effort (permitting effort to be shifted to another goal). Drawing on literature relating BD to elevated goal-approach sensitivity, we hypothesized that persons with BD would be less responsive to unexpectedly high progress than would control subjects. Participants answered questions three times a day, for 21 days, about three goals. The results of the study confirmed our overall hypothesis. In addition, although the reactions of persons with BD did not differ from the reactions of control subjects after lower-than-expected goal progress, persons with BD decreased effort toward goals significantly less than did control subjects after better-than-expected goal progress.

Several measures of cognitive style have been shown to be elevated among persons diagnosed with bipolar disorder and those at risk for bipolar disorder. Several of these scales capture responses to positive affect, success, and hypomanic symptoms. We had two goals: (a) to use factor analyses to assess whether the constructs within these scales were statistically independent and (b) to examine whether the factors identified uniquely related to mania risk. A cross-national sample of 638 participants completed measures of cognitive style, including the Responses to Positive Affect scale, the Positive Overgeneralization Scale, and the Hypomanic Interpretations Questionnaire. To assess whether these measures might simply reflect more impulsive reactions to positive mood states, participants also completed the Barratt Impulsivity Scale. To measure risk of mania, participants completed the Hypomanic Personality Scale (HPS). Factor analyses suggested seven factors of cognitive style and impulsivity. Four factors uniquely correlated with HPS. That is, risk for mania related to higher scores on separable factors of acting before thinking, being overly positive in interpreting manic symptoms, being overly confident in response to success, and tendencies to dampen positive affect. Current findings suggest the need to consider multifaceted aspects of cognition in refining psychological treatments of bipolar disorder.

Evidence links bipolar disorder to enhanced reward sensitivity (Meyer, Johnson, & Winters, 2001) and a belief in the importance of achievement (Lam, Wright, & Smith, 2004). More specific to goal-setting, students at high risk for mania endorse higher expectations for occupational and academic success than students at low risk (Meyer & Krumm-Merabet, 2003). To examine this issue further, Johnson and Carver (2006) developed a measure of extremely ambitious life goals. In two studies, students at risk of mania endorsed higher aspirations on subscales for fame, wealth, and political influence, independent of current symptoms of mania. The study reported here considers life expectancies among people with diagnoses of bipolar disorder. We predicted that people who meet lifetime diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorders would endorse elevated expectations for fame, wealth, and political influence, compared with those who did not meet criteria. Given evidence that mania and depression have different cognitive correlates within bipolar disorder (Alloy, Reilly-Harrington, Fresco, Whitehouse, & Zechmeister, 1999), we predicted that history of depression would not relate to elevated expectations. Thus, we examined lifetime history of mania and major depressive episodes (MDE) separately. This study examined undergraduates. This minimizes a problem likely to emerge in more severely ill populations, where high ambitions might stem from a desire to make up for losses associated with the disorder.

Although individual differences exist in how people respond to positive affect (PA), little research addresses PA regulation in people with anxiety disorders. The goal of this study was to provide information about responses to PA in people with symptoms of social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The tendency to dampen PA and the ability to savor PA were examined in an undergraduate sample. Analyses examined the unique links between these reactions and symptoms of anxiety disorders, controlling for a history of depression. Given the high comorbidity of depression and anxiety, exploratory analyses further controlled for generalized anxiety disorder. Results demonstrated that one or both measures of affect regulation made a unique and substantial contribution to predicting each anxiety disorder except agoraphobia, above and beyond prediction afforded by symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Clinical implications and areas for future research are discussed.