Type D Personality and Life Satisfaction in Bipolar Disorder Type 2 and Major Depressive Disorder

Bipolar Disorder Type II (BD-II) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) are common mood disorders associated with substantial psychological distress, impaired functioning, and reduced quality of life. BD-II is characterized by recurrent major depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes, whereas MDD is characterized by one or more major depressive episodes without a history of mania or hypomania. Both disorders have a significant genetic component, and family studies suggest that first-degree relatives may exhibit subclinical affective traits, personality characteristics, and psychosocial vulnerabilities related to these conditions. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine Type D personality traits and life satisfaction among patients with BD-II and MDD and parents of patients. The study recruited/will recruit 30 patients with BD-II; 30 patients with MDD; 30 healthy control subjects; mothers and/or fathers of 30 healthy control subjects, mothers and/or fathers of 30 patients with BD-II, and mothers and/or fathers of 30 patients with MDD who are in remission and receiving follow-up care at the Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic of Elazığ Fethi Sekin City Hospital, Turkey (By Dilek ÖRÜM -Associate Professor of Psychiatry, dr.dilekulukan@gmail.com). Sociodemographic characteristics, Type D personality traits, general psychiatric symptoms, and life satisfaction assessed/will be assessed using validated self-report measures, including the Type D Personality Scale (DS14), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and the Adult Life Satisfaction Scale (ALSS). The primary objective was/is to compare Type D personality characteristics and life satisfaction levels between patients with MDD and BD-II and between their parents. Secondary objectives included/include investigating the associations between Type D personality traits, psychiatric symptom severity, and life satisfaction. The findings may contribute to a better understanding of familial psychological characteristics associated with mood disorders and may help identify potential psychosocial targets for preventive and supportive interventions among family members of affected individuals.