Affective lability in parents with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and their co-parents-The Danish High Risk and Resilience Study VIA 7

In bipolar disorder, dysregulation of affect is a core feature while knowledge on affective lability in schizophrenia is sparse. Research on affective lability in partners to individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder is also lacking. The objective of this study was to investigate affective lability in parents with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and their co-parents without these disorders. The Danish High Risk and Resilience Study - VIA 7 is a population-based cohort study. This study focuses on parents diagnosed with schizophrenia (n = 148), their co -parents (n = 157), parents with bipolar disorder (n = 98), their co-parents (n = 89) and control parents (n = 359). The Affective Lability Scale - short form (ALS-SF) was used to measure affective lability. We found significantly higher levels of affective lability in parents with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder compared with controls, but no significant differences between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Co-parents to parents with schizophrenia had significantly higher levels of affective lability compared to controls. Our results add to the existing knowledge concerning underlying transdiagnostic factors and nonrandom mating in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and highlight the need for studies of parental affective lability as a potential risk factor for offspring in families with parental schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

Automated summary

This study aims to investigate affective lability in parents with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and their co-parents without these disorders. The results show significantly higher levels of affective lability in parents with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder compared to controls, with no significant differences between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Co-parents of parents with schizophrenia have significantly higher levels of affective lability compared to controls. These findings contribute to understanding the underlying transdiagnostic factors and nonrandom mating in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, emphasizing the importance of studying parental affective lability as a potential risk factor for offspring in families with parental schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.