Exploring Behavioral Patterns in Youth Predisposed to Bipolar Disorder
and the Role of Interpersonal Trauma Using the Adolescent Brain
Cognitive Development (ABCD) Dataset
Abstract
Introduction: Bipolar Disorder (BD) is a severe, persistent
disorder that causes functional impairment. Besides heritability,
environmental factors, such as traumatic experience, impact the
development of BD. Little is known about the early developmental signs
of this disorder; therefore, this study aims to look at the impact of
interpersonal trauma on the early developmental signs of BD.
Specifically, differences in psychopathological behaviors were
investigated between (1) at-risk children to controls and (2) at-risk
children who experienced an interpersonal traumatic event to those who
did not. Methods: Using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive
Development (ABCD) dataset, participants with a first-degree relative
with BD were identified (N at-risk=625) and matched on
sex and age to a control group (N control=625). The
Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (KSADS) was
used to assess interpersonal trauma and psychopathological symptoms. The
trauma (N trauma=198) and no trauma subgroups (N
no trauma=428) were built from the at-risk population.
Group comparison was conducted on depressive, manic, and anxiety
symptoms. Results: Compared to controls, at-risk children
exhibited a significantly greater number of manic symptoms at baseline,
and depression and anxiety symptoms at two-year follow-up. No
significant differences were found between the trauma and no-trauma
groups at either baseline or follow-up. Discussion: These
results confirm the presence of early symptoms in at-risk children, in
line with the staging model of BD. Extended longitudinal research is
needed to further investigate the potential specific role of trauma on
its early behavioral patterns.