Assessment of bipolar spectrum and personality disorders.

Abstract

B ipolar spectrum disorders (BSDs) are among the most common forms of serious mental illness, with an overall lifetime prevalence rate of just over 2% worldwide (Merikangas et al., 2011). The most well-known and widely studied BSDs are bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, and cyclothymic disorder. Beyond these major categories, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed., text rev.; DSM-5-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2022) also includes several less common variants of BSD: substance/medicationinduced bipolar and related disorder, bipolar and related disorder due to another medical condition, other specified bipolar and related disorder, unspecified bipolar and related disorder, and unspecified mood disorder. Research confirms that BSDs have significant negative impacts on the individual, and substantial societal costs as well. Individuals diagnosed with BSDs show elevated risk for an array of other psychological difficulties, including anxiety and substance use disorders (Merikangas et al., 2011). BSDs are also associated with an increased risk of suicide, significant medical and psychological treatment costs, and substantial financial costs due to absenteeism and diminished productivity in work (Tondo et al., 2016).Pharmacological interventions are the treatments of choice for bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder, with mood stabilizers considered first-line medications for both syndromes (Hede et al., 2019). For both disorders, medications are often supplemented with cognitive-behavioral interventions to maximize efficacy and treatment compliance. Cyclothymic disorder is sometimes