Exploring individual differences in the affective dynamics of bipolar spectrum psychopathology

Affective dysregulation characterizes both clinical and subclinical bipolar spectrum psychopathology. However, little is known about whether affective dysregulation is present across multiple timescales and contexts. Our preliminary studies suggested that bipolar spectrum psychopathology is associated with altered affective dynamics across seven days. Expanding on this work, we examined the association of bipolar spectrum psychopathology, as measured by the Hypomanic Personality Scale (HPS), with affective dynamics within- and between-days, across 14 days. Furthermore, we examined whether bipolar spectrum psychopathology is associated with disrupted meta-emotion (emotional clarity, granularity, attention) and whether this interacts with bipolar spectrum psychopathology to predict affective dynamics. Young- adults (n=233) oversampled for high HPS scores completed self-report questionnaires and 14 days of experience sampling questionnaires assessing emotional valence and arousal. Computational approaches examined the time-series of each participant. Bipolar spectrum psychopathology was associated with hyper-reactivity, variability, and instability of high-arousal negative and positive affect both within- and between-days, indicating that micro-level dynamics are disrupted across multiple timescales. The results held after accounting for mean-levels of affect, depression, and neuroticism. Bipolar spectrum psychopathology was associated with low emotional clarity and granularity. The combination of low attention to emotion and high scores on the HPS produced the highest level of negative affect instability. Examining affective dynamics in bipolar spectrum psychopathology should enhance understanding of risk for bipolar spectrum disorders and facilitate development of mood-monitoring interventions

Affective Dynamics in Bipolar Spectrum Psychopathology: Modeling Inertia, Reactivity, Variability, and Instability in Daily Life

Background: Bipolar psychopathology is characterized by affective dysregulation independent of mood episodes. However, previous research has relied on laboratory-based emotion-eliciting tasks or retrospective questionnaires that do not take into account temporal dynamics of affect. Thus, the present study examined affective dynamics (reactivity, variability, instability, and inertia) of low and high arousal negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA) in daily life in those at risk for bipolar psychopathology. Methods: Undergraduates (n=135) completed the Hypomanic Personality Scale and experience sampling surveys assessing affective experiences 8 times daily for 7 days. Results: HPS scores were associated with greater reactivity of NA when experiencing negative or stressful events, variability of NA (high and low arousal) and PA (high arousal), and instability of NA and PA (high and low arousal) in daily life. HPS scores were associated with a high probability of acute increases in NA and PA and were unassociated with levels of inertia. Limitations: This study only examined short-term dynamics over 7 days. Future studies should model both short- and long-term dynamics and whether these dynamics predict behavioral outcomes. Conclusions: These results provide evidence that bipolar spectrum psychopathology is characterized by reactivity of NA as well as variability, instability, and acute increases in NA and PA in daily life over-and-above mean levels of affect. Modeling affective dynamics may provide context-relevant information about the course and trajectory of bipolar spectrum psychopathology and should facilitate the use of experience sampling methodology to study and intervene in mood lability in patients with bipolar disorders

Comparing Static and Dynamic Measures of Affect Intensity and Affective Lability: Do they Measure the Same Thing?

This was the first study to our knowledge to examine whether dispositional scales of affect intensity and affective lability map on to corresponding momentary affective dynamics. Specifically, we assessed whether the Affect Intensity Measure (AIM) and Affective Lability Scale (ALS) are differentially associated with mean, variability, and instability of negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA). Young adults (n = 135) completed the AIM, ALS, and 7 days of experience sampling assessments. Higher scores on the AIM were associated with variability and instability of NA and PA whereas the ALS was associated with mean levels of NA and PA. Neither the AIM nor the ALS were associated with reactivity to stressful, negative, or positive experiences in the moment. However, the AIM and ALS accounted for little variance in momentary affective dynamics and effects were generally small. Findings highlighted that static measures of dynamic phenomena poorly map onto momentary measures of affect in daily life. Theoretical and methodological implications are discussed

Emotional awareness, affective dysregulation, and bipolar spectrum psychopathology: A multilevel path analysis

Affective dysregulation is present in those with subsyndromal symptoms of hypomania and mania and prospectively predicts the development of bipolar spectrum disorders. A crucial, understudied area related to the experience and regulation of emotion in this population is emotional awareness – emotional clarity (Clarity) and attention to emotion (Attention). We examined whether scores on the Hypomanic Personality Scale (HPS) were associated with deficits in emotional awareness and b) whether these deficits were associated with heightened intensity and instability of negative (NA) and positive affect (PA). Young adults (n=233), oversampled for HPS scores completed self-reports and 14 days of experience sampling assessing high and low arousal NA and PA. HPS scores were associated with low Clarity and unassociated with Attention. High HPS scores were associated with greater high and low arousal NA intensity and instability only for those at low and mean levels of Attention. In contrast, there was a significant indirect association between HPS scores and intensity of high and low arousal NA and PA, as well as instability of high arousal NA, through low clarity. Results highlighted that individual differences exist in the extent to which facets of emotional awareness differentially link scores on the HPS to emotional outcomes