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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 7/2014

01-07-2014 | Original Paper

Cross-national prevalence and cultural correlates of bipolar I disorder

Authors: Kaja R. Johnson, Sheri L. Johnson

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 7/2014

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Abstract

Purpose

Bipolar disorder has been consistently related to heightened sensitivity to reward. Greater reward sensitivity predicts the onset of disorder, a more severe course, and conversion from milder to severe forms. No studies consider whether cultural factors related to reward sensitivity influence the course of bipolar disorder. This study examines the relationship of reward-relevant cultural values to global prevalence rates of bipolar I disorder.

Methods

Lifetime prevalence of bipolar I disorder for 17 countries was drawn from epidemiological studies that used structured diagnostic interviews of large community samples. Bivariate correlations were used to assess the relationship of bipolar disorder prevalence with national scores on four reward-relevant cultural dimensions (Power Distance, Individualism, Long-Term Orientation, and Performance Orientation).

Results

The prevalence of bipolar I disorder was correlated in the predicted manner with Power Distance and Individualism, and with Long-Term Orientation and Performance Orientation after outliers were removed.

Conclusions

Findings provide evidence for a cultural model of reward sensitivity in bipolar disorder.
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Metadata
Title
Cross-national prevalence and cultural correlates of bipolar I disorder
Authors
Kaja R. Johnson
Sheri L. Johnson
Publication date
01-07-2014
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 7/2014
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-013-0797-5

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