TY - JOUR

T1 - Psychological and behavioral response on the COVID-19 pandemic in individuals with bipolar disorder

T2 - A multicenter study

AU - Dalkner, Nina

AU - Ratzenhofer, Michaela

AU - Fleischmann, Eva

AU - Fellendorf, Frederike T.

AU - Bengesser, Susanne

AU - Birner, Armin

AU - Maget, Alexander

AU - Großschädl, Katja

AU - Lenger, Melanie

AU - Platzer, Martina

AU - Queissner, Robert

AU - Schönthaler, Elena

AU - Tmava-Berisha, Adelina

AU - Berndt, Christina

AU - Martini, Julia

AU - Bauer, Michael

AU - Sperling, Jon Dyg

AU - Vinberg, May

AU - Reininghaus, Eva Z.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic affects both mentally healthy and ill individuals. Individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) constitute an especially vulnerable group. A multicentric online study was conducted in Austria, Denmark, and Germany after the first lockdown phase in 2020. In total, 117 healthy controls (HC) were matched according to age and sex to 117 individuals with BD. The survey included the Brief Symptom Inventory-18, Beck Depression Inventory-2, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and a self-constructed questionnaire assessing COVID-19 fears, emotional distress due to social distancing, lifestyle, and compliance to governmental measures. In individuals with BD, increased symptoms of depression, somatization, anxiety, distress due to social distancing, and poorer sleep quality were related to emotional distress due to social distancing. The correlation between emotional distress due to social distancing and anxiety showed 26% of shared variance in BD and 11% in HC. Negative lifestyle changes and lower compliance with COVID-19 regulatory measures were more likely to be observed in individuals with BD than in HC. These findings underscore the need for ongoing mental health support during the pandemic. Individuals with BD should be continuously supported during periods of social distancing to maintain a stable lifestyle and employ strategies to cope with COVID-19 fears.

AB - The COVID-19 pandemic affects both mentally healthy and ill individuals. Individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) constitute an especially vulnerable group. A multicentric online study was conducted in Austria, Denmark, and Germany after the first lockdown phase in 2020. In total, 117 healthy controls (HC) were matched according to age and sex to 117 individuals with BD. The survey included the Brief Symptom Inventory-18, Beck Depression Inventory-2, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and a self-constructed questionnaire assessing COVID-19 fears, emotional distress due to social distancing, lifestyle, and compliance to governmental measures. In individuals with BD, increased symptoms of depression, somatization, anxiety, distress due to social distancing, and poorer sleep quality were related to emotional distress due to social distancing. The correlation between emotional distress due to social distancing and anxiety showed 26% of shared variance in BD and 11% in HC. Negative lifestyle changes and lower compliance with COVID-19 regulatory measures were more likely to be observed in individuals with BD than in HC. These findings underscore the need for ongoing mental health support during the pandemic. Individuals with BD should be continuously supported during periods of social distancing to maintain a stable lifestyle and employ strategies to cope with COVID-19 fears.

KW - Anxiety

KW - Bipolar disorder

KW - Covid-19 pandemic

KW - Lifestyle

KW - Sleeping disorders

KW - Social distancing

KW - Somatization

U2 - 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114451

DO - 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114451

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35190338

AN - SCOPUS:85124709937

VL - 310

JO - Psychiatry Research

JF - Psychiatry Research

SN - 0165-1781

M1 - 114451

ER -