A Familial Risk Analysis of Emotional Dysregulation: A Controlled Study

J Atten Disord. 2018 Jul;22(9):848-854. doi: 10.1177/1087054715596576. Epub 2015 Jul 28.

Abstract

Objective: Children with deficits in emotional regulation operationalized by scores on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) Attention Problems, Aggressive Behavior, and Anxious-Depressed subscales are more likely than others to manifest adverse outcomes. However, the transmission of this profile has not been well studied. The main aim of this study was to investigate the familiality of this profile.

Method: Participants were youth probands with bipolar I (BP-I) disorder ( N = 140), ADHD ( N = 83), and controls ( N = 117) and their siblings. Based on the CBCL emotional dysregulation profile, we classified children with severe emotional dysregulation (aggregate cut-off score ≥210) and emotional dysregulation (aggregate cut-off score ≥ 180 and <210).

Results: Emotional dysregulation profile scores correlated positively between probands and siblings.

Conclusion: Youth with emotional dysregulation are at increased risk to have siblings with similar deficits, suggesting that emotional dysregulation runs in families.

Keywords: bipolar disorder; children; emotional dysregulation; mood disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / genetics*
  • Bipolar Disorder / genetics*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Siblings / psychology*