Bipolar Disorders: Social Factors

As scientists continue to elucidate the neuroscientific bases of the various subtypes of bipolar disorders (BDs), an often chronic condition marked by recurrent episodes of mania and depression, there remains wide consensus that social factors impart a significant influence on BD course and outcome. In the broadest sense, social adjustment, which captures role functioning across a number of domains (e.g., occupational, interpersonal, activity engagement), has been shown to be significantly impaired among individuals with BD and appears to predict long-term mood symptom morbidity. There is also evidence that impairments in social adjustment may be evident in premorbid stages of BD, suggesting a potential interplay between social impairment and underlying biological diatheses in the prediction of the first mood episode onset. Complementing the research focused on ...