Latent profiles of childhood trauma in bipolar disorder: associations with objective and subjective cognitive functioning and quality of life

TL;DR

This study identifies different types of childhood trauma in bipolar disorder patients and shows how they affect cognitive function and quality of life.

Contribution

The study introduces distinct trauma profiles in bipolar disorder and their specific associations with cognitive and quality of life outcomes.

Findings

Three trauma profiles were identified: high trauma, high neglect, and low trauma.

High trauma was linked to objective cognitive decline, while high neglect was tied to quality of life.

Bipolar groups showed worse cognitive and quality of life outcomes compared to healthy controls.

Abstract

Childhood trauma is associated with a more severe clinical course in bipolar disorders; however, the latent profiles of childhood trauma and their differential impacts on cognitive functioning and quality of life remain underexplored.

Using latent profiles analysis, 275 bipolar patients were categorized into distinct trauma profiles based on Childhood Trauma Questionnaire scores. The characteristics of sociodemographic, clinical, pharmacological and biochemical variables, as well as objective and subjective cognitive functioning, and quality of life, were compared across profiles and with 63 healthy controls.

Three distinct profiles emerged: high trauma (HT, 14.55%), high neglect (HN, 30.18%) and low trauma (LT, 55.27%). Compared to healthy controls, all bipolar groups exhibited worse performance on nearly all aspects of objective and subjective cognitive functioning, and quality of life. Both the HT and HN profiles were significantly associated with subjective cognitive functioning. Notably, only the HT profile was significantly associated with objective cognitive functioning, whereas the HN profile was specifically linked to quality of life.

This study highlights multiple childhood trauma profiles in bipolar disorder. Findings reveal that trauma and neglect significantly influence diverse functional and clinical outcomes in bipolar disorder. Further research is crucial to elucidate their impact mechanisms.

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