Childhood trauma, primary emotional systems and suicidal ideation in youths with bipolar disorders

• Published in: European psychiatry 2023-03, Vol.66 (S1), p.S719-S719
• Main Authors: Janiri, D, Moccia, L, Montanari, S, Simonetti, A, M Di Nicola, Sani, G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adverse childhood experiences; Bipolar disorder; Emotional abuse; Suicidal ideation; Suicides & suicide attempts
• ISSN: 0924-9338; 1778-3585
• DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.1506

IntroductionBipolar disorders (BD) in youths are strongly associated with lifetime suicidal ideation. Childhood trauma is a prominent environmental stressor associated with both BD diagnosis and suicide. Primary emotional systems (PES), proposed by Jaak Pansepp, are altered in adults with BD and may contribute to suicide risk in youths.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate the distribution patterns of PES and childhood trauma in youths’ BD with and without suicidal ideation (BD-IS, BD-NIS).MethodsWe assessed 289 participants, 103 youths with DSM-5 BD and 186 healthy controls (HCs). PES were obtained with the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales (ANPS) and history of childhood trauma using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Suicidal ideation was assessed through the Columbia Suicide Scale for the Rating of Suicide Severity (C-SSRS). The distribution patterns of primary emotional systems and childhood trauma subtypes were tested using a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), followed by a series of one-way ANOVAs and Scheffé post- hoc tests. The model was corrected for multiple comparisons. All the variables significantly different between the BD-IS and the BD-NIS group were subjected to a multivariate logistic regression model.ResultsOver 48% of participants reported lifetime suicidal ideation. According to the MANOVA (Wilk’s Lambda=0.72, F=9.11, df=22, p