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Are behavioral problems in childhood and adolescence associated with bipolar disorder in early adulthood?

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Abstract

Several recent studies have found an association between conduct problems and bipolar disorder in adolescents. However, prospective studies are rare and most do not apply multivariable analysis strategies to control for important variables (e.g. socio-demographics). The aim of this study was to test the association between certain conduct problems and bipolar disorders. The sample consisted of 591 adolescents (male and female) representative for 2,600 persons from the Canton of Zurich in Switzerland. Data were prospectively collected through an interviewing procedure, with the first screening taking place at the age of 19–20. The incidence rate was computed using sampling weights, and risk factors of bipolar II disorder were estimated using a multivariable logistic regression model. The 9-year incidence rate of bipolar II disorder in the canton of Zurich was 8.4% (n = 65). Adolescents and children showing behavior such as repeated running away from home and physical fighting were 2.6–3.5 times more likely to experience a bipolar II disorder than those with no indication of conduct problems. Sensitivity analysis showed that the conduct problems were not the result of low socio-economic status.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Grant 3200-050881.97/1 of the Swiss National Science Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychiatric/Psychological Service, Crime Prevention Research Unit, Feldstrasse 42, 8090, Zürich, Switzerland

    Jérôme Endrass PhD

  2. Zurich University Psychiatric Hospital, Zürich, Switzerland

    Jérôme Endrass PhD, Stefan Vetter, Alex Gamma & Jules Angst

  3. Criminal Justice System, Psychiatric/Psychological Service, Zürich, Switzerland

    Jérôme Endrass PhD, Astrid Rossegger & Frank Urbaniok

  4. Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

    William T. Gallo

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  1. Jérôme Endrass PhD
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  2. Stefan Vetter
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  3. Alex Gamma
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  5. Astrid Rossegger
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  7. Jules Angst
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Correspondence to Jérôme Endrass PhD.

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Endrass, J., Vetter, S., Gamma, A. et al. Are behavioral problems in childhood and adolescence associated with bipolar disorder in early adulthood?. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 257, 217–221 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-006-0710-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-006-0710-2

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