Longitudinal Associations Between Interpersonal Relationship Functioning and Mood Episode Severity in Youth With Bipolar Disorder

This study examined the longitudinal association between mood episode severity and relationships in youth with bipolar (BP) disorder. Participants were 413 Course and Outcome of Bipolar Youth study youth, aged 12.6 +/- 3.3 years. Monthly ratings of relationships (parents, siblings, and friends) and mood episode severity were assessed by the Adolescent Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation Psychosocial Functioning Schedule and Psychiatric Rating Scales, on average, every 8.2months over 5.1 years. Correlations examined whether participants with increased episode severity also reported poorer relationships and whether fluctuations in episode severity predicted fluctuations in relationships, and vice versa. Results indicated that participants with greater mood episode severity also had worse relationships. Longitudinally, participants had largely stable relationships. To the extent that there were associations, changes in parental relationships may precede changes in episode severity, although the magnitude of this finding was small. Findings have implications for relationship interventions in BP youth.