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The association between childhood trauma, parental bonding and depressive symptoms and interpersonal functioning in depression and bipolar disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 January 2017

M. Marshall ,
C. Shannon ,
C. Meenagh ,
N. Mc Corry  and
C. Mulholland
M. Marshall
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
C. Shannon
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK Northern Health and Social Care Trust, Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK
C. Meenagh
Affiliation:
Northern Health and Social Care Trust, Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK
N. Mc Corry
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
C. Mulholland*
Affiliation:
Northern Health and Social Care Trust, Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK Centre for Medical Education, The Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr C. Mulholland, Centre for Medical Education, The Queen’s University Belfast, The Whitla Medical Building, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT9 7BL, UK.(Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Objectives

This study explores rates of a history of childhood trauma in adult patients with bipolar disorder and depression and the impact of such trauma and parental bonding patterns on depressive mood and interpersonal functioning at the time of assessment.

Methods

A cross-sectional design was used and a sample of 49 participants was recruited from a mental health outpatient service in Northern Ireland. Data were subject to correlations, one-way analysis of variance and hierarchal regression analyses. A cut-off point of r=±0.25 was used to select variables for inclusion in the hierarchal regression analyses.

Results

High rates of childhood trauma were present in both samples: 74% in bipolar disorder and 82% in depression. Childhood trauma and poor parental bonding (with mother) were significant predictors of higher rates of current inter-episode depressive mood and interpersonal difficulties.

Conclusions

This finding adds to the evidence that routine assessment of early childhood experience is likely to prove helpful in clinical care.

Keywords

Bipolar disorderchildhood traumadepressionparental bonding
Type
Original Research
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 35 , Issue 1 , March 2018 , pp. 23 - 32
Copyright
© College of Psychiatrists of Ireland 2017 

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