Comparing brain behavioral systems, defense mechanisms, and cognitive-emotional regulation in patients with type I bipolar disorder and normal individuals

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

M.Sc. in clinical psychology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: The present study compared the activity of brain behavioral brain systems, defense mechanisms, and cognitive-emotional regulation in patients with type I bipolar disorder and normal individuals.
 Materials and Methods: The statistical population of this causal-comparative research included type I bipolar patients in euthymic phase referred to Ibn-e-Sina Psychiatric Hospital in Mashhad- Iran, in January to October 2020. Thirty patients with type I bipolar disorder and thirty normal individuals were selected by the purposeful sampling method. The research instrument included Brain Behavioral Activation and Inhibition Activity System Questionnaire (BAS/BIS), Defense Styles Questionnaire (DSQ-40), and Cognitive-Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ-P). The data analyzed through descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance.
 Results: The results showed that BAS/BIS, defense mechanisms, and cognitive-emotional regulation are different significantly in bipolar I patients and normal individuals (P< 0.05). Bipolar I patients had higher levels of BAS/BIS, immature defense mechanisms, psychosis, boredom with others, rumination, and catastrophe. The level of BAS/BIS, mature defense mechanism, acceptance, positive refocus, and positive refocusing on planning and reassessment was higher in normal individuals than in patients with type I bipolar disorder.
 Conclusion: The results showed that type I bipolar disorder is correlated with the components of all three variables of brain activation and brain inhibition systems, defense mechanisms, and cognitive-emotional regulation

Keywords


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