Relationship between impulsivity and clinical and sociodemographic variables among Lebanese patients with bipolar disorder

Abstract

Impulsivity is a psychiatric symptom that seems to be more prevalent in some mental disorders such as bipolar disorders (BDs). It is a trait that seems to be influenced by many clinical and sociodemographic variables across BD. To examine the relationship between impulsivity and these variables, we performed a cross-sectional study on 50 patients diagnosed with BD and 50 healthy subjects. Both groups were administered the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale; the Structural Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, for borderline personality disorder; the Beirut District Scale; and the Athens Insomnia Scale to assess impulsivity, borderline personality disorder, psychological distress, and sleep disturbances, respectively. A significantly higher nonplanning impulsivity (p = 0.001), motor impulsivity (p < 0.0001), total impulsivity (p < 0.0001), body mass index (p < 0.0001), and insomnia (p = 0.002) were found in subjects with BDs compared with healthy ones. Exposure to violence (odds ratio [OR] = 7.63), the loss of a parent (OR = 3.83), being a current smoker (OR = 14.56), and a higher motor impulsivity score (OR = 1.27) were all significantly associated with the presence of BD. Impulsivity was shown to be strongly associated with the presence of a diagnosis of BD, and further studies are warranted to fully characterize it through the course of the illness