Parents with bipolar who understand condition watch for it in their children

Parents with bipolar disorder generally know that their children have an increased risk for the condition, but whether they actively monitor their children for the disorder depends to some extent on how well they manage it themselves, according to a web survey of 266 parents.

Most of the survey respondents were white. Most were female (83.7%), and nearly two-thirds (63.7%) had more than one child. The median age range of the respondents was 41-45.

They rated themselves against statements signaling active monitoring for nascent bipolar disorder, such as "I watch my child’s moods," "I teach my child what to do if his/her moods become bad or unstable," and "I plan for what I would do if I notice symptoms in my child."

In addition, they responded to statements signaling what the researchers called "cognitive distancing" from the possibility that their children might develop bipolar disorder, including "my child’s personality makes him/her less likely to develop a mood disorder" and "the home environment my child has grown up in makes him/her less likely to develop a mood disorder." The parents answered questions about their own illness, as well (Soc. Sci. Med. 2014;104:194-200).

The degree to which parents with bipolar disorder paid attention to their children’s mood was associated with perceived control over the child’s well-being (P less than .005), coping with their own illness (P = .001), and a family history of bipolar disorder (P = .001), among other factors. Cognitive distancing was negatively associated with current mania (P = .007), perceiving bipolar disorder as genetic (P less than .001), and having more children (P = .004), perhaps because parents were more confident that they would spot a problem if they could compare one child to another. The findings were statistically significant.

The investigators said the main limitation of their study is that it used a sample with bipolar disorder that was self-reported. In addition, reports of relatives affected by bipolar were "unexpectedly high, indicating a biased study sample," an unclear survey question, and/or an overreporting of illness in relatives."

Still, the results mean that "health care providers need to move away from a model of parents with mental illness as vehicles of risk to offspring. They should capitalize on parents’ strengths, and help them identify and evaluate their coping strategies," said Holly Landrum Peay of the National Human Genome Research Institute in Bethesda, Md., and her associates.

The National Institutes of Health funded the study. The investigators reported that they have no financial conflicts.

[email protected]

Parents with bipolar disorder generally know that their children have an increased risk for the condition, but whether they actively monitor their children for the disorder depends to some extent on how well they manage it themselves, according to a web survey of 266 parents.

Most of the survey respondents were white. Most were female (83.7%), and nearly two-thirds (63.7%) had more than one child. The median age range of the respondents was 41-45.

They rated themselves against statements signaling active monitoring for nascent bipolar disorder, such as "I watch my child’s moods," "I teach my child what to do if his/her moods become bad or unstable," and "I plan for what I would do if I notice symptoms in my child."

In addition, they responded to statements signaling what the researchers called "cognitive distancing" from the possibility that their children might develop bipolar disorder, including "my child’s personality makes him/her less likely to develop a mood disorder" and "the home environment my child has grown up in makes him/her less likely to develop a mood disorder." The parents answered questions about their own illness, as well (Soc. Sci. Med. 2014;104:194-200).

The degree to which parents with bipolar disorder paid attention to their children’s mood was associated with perceived control over the child’s well-being (P less than .005), coping with their own illness (P = .001), and a family history of bipolar disorder (P = .001), among other factors. Cognitive distancing was negatively associated with current mania (P = .007), perceiving bipolar disorder as genetic (P less than .001), and having more children (P = .004), perhaps because parents were more confident that they would spot a problem if they could compare one child to another. The findings were statistically significant.

The investigators said the main limitation of their study is that it used a sample with bipolar disorder that was self-reported. In addition, reports of relatives affected by bipolar were "unexpectedly high, indicating a biased study sample," an unclear survey question, and/or an overreporting of illness in relatives."

Still, the results mean that "health care providers need to move away from a model of parents with mental illness as vehicles of risk to offspring. They should capitalize on parents’ strengths, and help them identify and evaluate their coping strategies," said Holly Landrum Peay of the National Human Genome Research Institute in Bethesda, Md., and her associates.

The National Institutes of Health funded the study. The investigators reported that they have no financial conflicts.

[email protected]

Parents with bipolar disorder generally know that their children have an increased risk for the condition, but whether they actively monitor their children for the disorder depends to some extent on how well they manage it themselves, according to a web survey of 266 parents.

Most of the survey respondents were white. Most were female (83.7%), and nearly two-thirds (63.7%) had more than one child. The median age range of the respondents was 41-45.

They rated themselves against statements signaling active monitoring for nascent bipolar disorder, such as "I watch my child’s moods," "I teach my child what to do if his/her moods become bad or unstable," and "I plan for what I would do if I notice symptoms in my child."

In addition, they responded to statements signaling what the researchers called "cognitive distancing" from the possibility that their children might develop bipolar disorder, including "my child’s personality makes him/her less likely to develop a mood disorder" and "the home environment my child has grown up in makes him/her less likely to develop a mood disorder." The parents answered questions about their own illness, as well (Soc. Sci. Med. 2014;104:194-200).

The degree to which parents with bipolar disorder paid attention to their children’s mood was associated with perceived control over the child’s well-being (P less than .005), coping with their own illness (P = .001), and a family history of bipolar disorder (P = .001), among other factors. Cognitive distancing was negatively associated with current mania (P = .007), perceiving bipolar disorder as genetic (P less than .001), and having more children (P = .004), perhaps because parents were more confident that they would spot a problem if they could compare one child to another. The findings were statistically significant.

The investigators said the main limitation of their study is that it used a sample with bipolar disorder that was self-reported. In addition, reports of relatives affected by bipolar were "unexpectedly high, indicating a biased study sample," an unclear survey question, and/or an overreporting of illness in relatives."

Still, the results mean that "health care providers need to move away from a model of parents with mental illness as vehicles of risk to offspring. They should capitalize on parents’ strengths, and help them identify and evaluate their coping strategies," said Holly Landrum Peay of the National Human Genome Research Institute in Bethesda, Md., and her associates.

The National Institutes of Health funded the study. The investigators reported that they have no financial conflicts.

[email protected]