The assessment of cyclothymic-hypersensitive temperament in youth with mood disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Simone Pisano; Gianluca Sesso; Vincenzo Paolo Senese; Gennaro Catone; Annarita Milone; Gabriele Masi

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2021.11.013

The assessment of cyclothymic-hypersensitive temperament in youth with mood disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

J Affect Disord. 2022 Feb 1;298(Pt A):322-328. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.11.013. Epub 2021 Nov 9.

Authors

Simone Pisano¹, Gianluca Sesso², Vincenzo Paolo Senese³, Gennaro Catone⁴, Annarita Milone⁵, Gabriele Masi⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, via Pansini 5, Naples 80131, Italy. Electronic address: simone.pisano@unina.it.
² Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy.
³ Department of Psychology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy.
⁴ Department of Educational, Psychological and Communication Sciences, Suor Orsola Benincasa University, Naples, Italy.
⁵ IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy.

PMID: 34763030
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.11.013

Abstract

Background: Cyclothymic-hypersensitive temperament (CHT) has been related to both depression and bipolarity, as well as to suicidality. Recently, a psychometrically sound way of assessment has been validated in youth (Cyclothymic-Hypersensitive Temperament Questionnaire, CHTQ), but data on clinical populations are still scant. Aim of our study is to further explore the structure and other psychometric properties of the revised version of CHTQ and its clinical implications in clinical samples.

Methods: The study is based on a dataset of patients with unipolar depression, bipolar disorder and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (243 patients, 135 males, mean age 14.22 ± 2.16 years, age range 9-18 years), compared to a community sample of adolescents (398 subjects, 95 boys, mean age 15.47 ± 1.96 years, age range 10-18 years) RESULTS: The two-correlated factor structure of CHT has been confirmed, with a moodiness/hypersensitiveness factor, correlated with internalizing symptoms, and an impulsiveness/emotional dysregulation factor, correlated with externalizing symptoms. All CHTQ scores correlate with global functioning. CHTQ total scores discriminate patients from healthy controls. Only CHTQ impulsiveness/emotional dysregulation subscale score is higher in bipolar patients, compared to unipolar depression and ADHD, whereas neither CHTQ moodiness/hypersensitiveness subscale score nor CHTQ total score discriminate between clinical groups.

Limitation: Data on current mood states are unavailable. Patients were recruited in a third level clinic. The unipolar depression group is relatively small.

Conclusion: CHT may be a rapid and reliable screening and diagnostic tool in the clinical practice with youth, exploring the cyclothymic dimension in different psychiatric disorders.

Keywords: Assessment; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Bipolar disorder; Cyclothymic temperament; Depression; Youth.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity*
Bipolar Disorder*
Child
Cyclothymic Disorder
Humans
Male
Surveys and Questionnaires
Temperament