CORRELATES OF STRESS REACTIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER

Objective: The authors examined individual differences in stress react ivity as well as whether features of the illness itself or psychologic al characteristics differentiate between patients with bipolar disorde r who are highly stress reactive and those who are nor. Method: They a ssessed stressors and bipolar episodes in 58 patients with bipolar dis order followed for at least 1 year. Results: Not only did stress level predict relapse, so did personality variables such as introversion an d obsessionality and their interaction with stress. Number of previous episodes of bipolar illness, however, did not affect stress response. Conclusions: These results are not consistent with the view that epis odes of bipolar disorder become increasingly independent of stressors after initial episodes. However, psychological traits may affect react ivity to stressors.