Psychiatry Investig.
2013 Sep;10(3):246-252.
The Relationship between Impulsivity and Quality of Life in Euthymic Patients with Bipolar Disorder
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Psychiatry, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Jinju, Republic of Korea. cbs324@gmail.com
- 2Department of Psychiatry, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea.
- 3Medical Unit of 9th Division, Korea Army, Goyang, Republic of Korea.
- 4Department of Psychiatry, Pusan National University Hospital Medical Research Institute, Busan, Republic of Korea.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Bipolar disorder (BD) is characterized by elevated impulsivity, even during periods of remission. Many recovered BD patients have functional impairments, which can lead to poor quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between impulsivity and QoL in euthymic BD patients.
METHODS
A total of 56 remitted or recovered patients with type I or II BD, diagnosed based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) criteria, were recruited. Psychiatrists administered the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) for BD and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scales and then interviewed the subjects to assess clinical variables. Patients completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument-Brief Form (WHOQoL-BREF). Pearson correlations, univariate regression analyses, and multiple linear regression analyses were performed.
RESULTS
The BIS-11 total score was significantly correlated with the WHOQoL-BREF total score (r=-0.55, p<0.01) and with the WHOQoL-BREF subscales. After controlling for GAF score and other clinical variables, the BIS-11 total score (beta=-0.43, p=0.001) was independently associated with overall QoL. Additionally, the BIS-11 total score was particularly strongly associated with the physical, psychological, and social domains of the multi-dimensional QoL scale.
CONCLUSION
Our results suggest that high impulsivity is related to low QoL in euthymic BD patients. Further studies are needed to examine whether interventions for high impulsivity effectively improve QoL in patients with BD.
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