Criteria for bipolar spectrum disorder in patients with mood disorders during the current period of depression: comparison between unipolar and bipolar depression

Subject Areas : Thoughts and Behavior in Clinical Psychology

Mohamad Ali Besharat ¹ , Zeinab Khajavi ² , Amir Shabani ³ , Masoud Gholamali Lavasani ⁴

1 - دپارتمان روان شناسی، دانشگاه تهران، تهران، ایران
2 - دپارتمان روان شناسی، دانشگاه تهران، تهران، ایران
3 - مرکز پژوهشی سلامت روانی، گروه پژوهشی اختلالهای دوقطبی، دانشگاه علوم پزشکی ایران، تهران، ایران
4 - دپارتمان مشاوره، دانشگاه تهران، تهران، ایران

Received: 2016-04-04 Accepted : 2016-04-04 Published : 2015-09-23

Keywords: unipolar depression, bipolar depression, bipolar spectrum disorders,

Abstract :

Identifying the type of disorder in the early stages of the disease can be very helpful in choosing the right treatment. Among them, one of the controversial topics, is the diagnosis and early intervention in mood disorders. This study seeks to examine the degree of ability of bipolar spectrum disorder criteria and distinction of the two depressed unipolar and bipolar groups. For this purpose, in a descriptive study, 114 depressive patients, inpatients and outpatients with mood disorders were selected from hospitals and clinics of Hazrat Rasoul in Tehran, Kargar nezhad in Kashan and Shamim in Mashhad. Data were collected based on SCID-I interview, investigating patient’s records and gathering information from the relatives of patients. The results indicated that there is a significant difference between the two groups of depressed unipolar and bipolar in terms of family history of bipolar disorder, recurrent depression episodes, short-term course of depression, early depression era, psychotic depression and hyperthymic personality. From the results of this study it can be concluded that the criteria for bipolar spectrum disorder may somewhat distinct unipolar and bipolar depression. These criteria can be used as diagnostic criteria for unipolar and bipolar depression.