Exploring aspects of self-reported emotional mental imagery in patients with bipolar disorder

• Published in: Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry 2023-12, Vol.81, p.101861-101861, Article 101861
• Main Authors: van den Berg, K.C., Voncken, M., Hendrickson, A.T., Di Simplicio, M., Regeer, E.J., Rops, L., Keijsers, G.P.J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bipolar disorder; Imagery prone healthy; Mental imagery; Unipolar depression
• ISSN: 0005-7916; 1873-7943
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2023.101861

CBT for patients with bipolar disorder has modest effects. Across disorders, mental imagery has been used to update CBT to increase effectiveness. In order to enhance CBT for bipolar disorder with imagery techniques, research is needed into emotional imagery quality and, related appraisals of imagery and their relationships with mood instability and subsequent behaviour in bipolar disorder. Patients with bipolar disorder (n = 106), unipolar depression (n = 51), creative imagery prone participants (n = 53) and participants without a history of a mood disorder (n = 135) completed the Dutch Imagery Survey (DImS), an online imagery survey, adapted from the Imagery Interview, assessing self-reported emotional imagery aspects. Imagery quality, appraisals and their self-perceived effects on emotion and behaviour were compared between groups. As unexpected differences within the bipolar group appeared, these were additionally explored. Imagery appraisals but not imagery quality discriminated between the patient groups and non-patient groups Imagery was perceived as an emotional amplifier in all groups, but this was specifically apparent in bipolar manic and bipolar depressed groups. Only in the bipolar group imagery was experienced to amplify behavioural tendencies. Results need to be replicated using a larger sample of patients with BD who are currently manic or depressed. Not only quality of imagery, but especially appraisals associated with imagery are differentiating between imagery prone people with and without mood disorder. Imagery amplifies emotion in all groups, but only in those patients with bipolar disorder currently manic or depressed did this influence behaviour. •Manic or depressed patients differ in imagery aspects from patients who are euthymic.•Imagery prone pp with and without mood disorder differ in appraisals of imagery.•Ιn all groups imagery amplified emotion, more so when currently manic or depressed.•Only the BD group experienced a significant effect of imagery on behaviour.