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

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

• bipolar disorder
• brain behavioral system
• cognitive-emotional regulation
• defense mechanisms