Clinical psychiatry Is anxiety and depression related with personality in caregivers for patients with bipolar disorder?

Objective: The objective of this study is to analyses the correlation between state and trait anxiety, depression and personality traits in caregivers of patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Method: The study sample consists of care-givers of 34 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder according to the DSM IV-TR criteria, and 37 healthy voluntary subjects demographically matched. The Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAIX I-II) scales have been applied to the subjects.

Results: In this study, it has been found that STAIX-I and STAIX-II anxiety scores are higher in caregivers. The comparison between the groups has revealed that persistence (P) scores are higher in caregivers (p<0.001). A statistically significant correlation has been found between the STAIX –I score and harm avoidance (HA) score (r=0.36, p=0.04); STAIX-II score and harm avoidance (HA) (r= 0.57, p<0.001); self-transcendence (ST) (r=0.41, p=0.01) and self-directedness (SD) scores (r=-0.60, p<0.001); HAM-Dscore and harm avoidance (HA) (r=0.47, p=0.01) of TCI.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that, by also taking into account their personal traits, caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder should be assessed by clinicians more carefully and comprehensively in respect of anxiety.