Childhood traumas in euthymic bipolar disorder patients in Eastern Turkey and its relations with suicide risk and aggression

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between childhood trauma and aggression-suicidal behavior in patients with bipolar disorder.

Material and Methods: A total of 112 outpatients diagnosed with bipolar disorder in remission in the province of Siirt on the east coast of Turkey were included in this study carried out between January and June 2018. Personal Information Form, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Buss–Perry Aggression Scale (BPAS) and Suicide Probability Scale (SPS) were used for data acquisition.

Results: It was determined that patients with bipolar disorder have 89.3% of physical neglect, 74.1% of emotional neglect, 75.9% of physical abuse, 79.5% of emotional abuse and 40.2% of sexual abuse. The mean score of CTQ was 66.8 ± 19.2, the total score of BPAS was 94.6 ± 28.8 and the total score of SPS was 85.3 ± 17.9. A statistically significant and positive correlation was determined between CTQ, BPAS and SPS (p < 0.05).

There was a weak and positive relationship between BPAS, CTQ (r = 0.325**; p < 0.05) and subscales of CTQ which are emotional abuse (r = 0.350**; p < 0.05), physical abuse (r = 0.354**; p < 0.01), physical neglect (r = 0.313**; p < 0.01) and emotional neglect (r = 0.316**; p < 0.01). A statistically significant difference was observed between the regular use of drugs, violence against others and total score of CTQ, BPAS and SPS (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: It is suggested that patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder should be evaluated with regards to childhood trauma history by taking into consideration sociodemographic characteristics and psychiatric support in order to prevent their aggression and suicide attempts.

Keywords:

• Bipolar disorder
• childhood trauma
• suicide
• aggression
• nursing

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Vesile Adigüzel

Vesile Adıgüzel Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Faculty of Health Science, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey

Nurgül Özdemir

Nurgül Özdemir Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Faculty of Health Science, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey

Şengül Kocamer Şahin

Şengül Kocamer Şahin Deparment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey