Differences in Psychopathology between Offspring of Parents with Bipolar I Disorder and Those with Bipolar II Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in psychopathology between offspring of parents with bipolar I disorder (BP-I) and those with bipolar II disorder (BP-II). Methods The sample included 201 offspring between 6 and 17 years of age who had at least one parent with BP-I or BP-II. The off-spring were diagnostically evaluated using the Korean Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version. Psychopathology and Clinical characteristics were evaluated, including lifetime DSM-5 diagnoses, depression, and childhood trauma. Lifetime DSM-5 diagnoses were also compared between schoolchildren aged 6 to 11 years and adolescents aged 12 to 17 years. Results In lifetime DSM-5 diagnoses, offspring of parents with BP-I had significantly increased risk of developing MDD and BP-I than those with BP-II. Regarding clinical characteristics, ADHD rating scale and childhood trauma scale were significantly higher in offspring of parents with BP-I than that in those with BP-II. Conclusion The present study supports that BP-I may be etiologically distinct from BP-II by a possible genetic liability. Our findings indicate that additional research related to bipolar offspring is needed to enhance understanding of differences between BP-I and BP-II.