Family environment of youth with first episode Mania.

BACKGROUND: The purpose is to compare youth- and caregiver-reported characteristics of family environment, within and between families with a child experiencing a first manic episode of bipolar disorder (BPD), and families without a child with BPD or familial history of psychiatric disorders (HF). METHODS: Family environment of 61 families with a child with BPD and 44 HF were assessed with Family Environment Scale (FES). We compared FES subscale scores between families with BPD and HF, and caregiver- and youth-rated scores. RESULTS: Families with BPD differed significantly from HF on 8/10 FES subscales scores. Youth differed significantly from their caregivers on 7/10 subscales. An interaction effect was observed such that youth with BPD reported lower cohesion and organization, and higher conflict than their caregivers; however, HF did not differ significantly on these domains. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that families with BPD have higher conflict and lower cohesion and organization compared to HF. Results also indicate differences between youth and caregiver perspectives in both groups, which may contribute to family discord. Interventions targeting areas of cohesion, organization, and conflict may be beneficial for youth with BPD and their families, specifically those that identify and bridge perceptual divides.

Sex and race influence objective and self-report sleep and circadian measures in emerging adults independently of risk for bipolar spectrum disorder.

There is a need to better understand key factors that impact sleep and circadian function for young adults of differing races and sexes. Sex and race are common factors contributing to disparities in health outcomes; however, the influence of these variables on sleep and circadian patterns for young adults are not well known. Multiple objective and self-report facets of sleep and circadian function were assessed (melatonin onset, actigraphy, and sleep diaries) in an ecological momentary assessment study of 150 emerging adults (Mage = 21.8 years; 58.7% female; 56% White, 22.7% Black, 21.3% Other ethnicity) at high or low risk for bipolar spectrum disorder (BSD). Controlling for BSD risk status, sex and race were significant predictors of objective and self-reported sleep and circadian rhythm measures. Males self-reported better sleep efficiency and exhibited later dim light melatonin onset phase than females, whereas females exhibited more actigraphy-measured sleep periods. White participants exhibited more actigraphy-measured total sleep time (TST), better sleep efficiency, and fewer sleep periods, and more self-reported TST and better sleep efficiency than Black participants. Our findings enhance the literature by utilizing robust measurement of sleep and circadian parameters to extend previous findings to a young adult sample at high or low risk for BSD.

The indirect effect of positive affect in the relationship between trait mindfulness and emotion dysregulation.

Mindfulness is correlated with better emotion regulation and mindfulness training improves emotion regulation; however, mechanisms of these effects have not been widely studied. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to examine the indirect effect of greater mindfulness on fewer emotion regulation difficulties through positive affect. Participants were 219 undergraduate students (M age =19.20; 70.5% female; 91.5% Caucasian) who completed self-report measures for course credit. Results indicated a significant direct effect of mindfulness on emotion dysregulation (b = -1.71, t = -6.94, p < .001) and significant indirect effect of greater mindfulness on fewer emotion regulation problems through higher levels of positive affect (indirect effect =-0.50; SE = 0.13; 95% CI = -0.80 to -0.28). These results help to generate testable hypotheses for future mechanistic research in this area by suggesting that one way trait mindfulness may protect against emotion dysregulation could be by cultivating positive affect. Future research using longitudinal designs is needed to explore positive affect as a causal mechanism.