ABSTRACT
Adverse experiences in childhood have been recognized as common events in individuals with bipolar disorder (BD), with approximately half (49%) of these individuals reporting at least some form of abuse or neglect during childhood (Garno, Goldberg, Ramirez, & Ritzler, 2005; Leverich et al., 2002). Furthermore, a history of childhood maltreatment (CMT) has been associated with unfavorable characteristics of BD (Alvarez, Roura, Oses, Foguet, Sola, & Arrufat, 2011; Angst, Gamma, Rossler, Ajdacic, & Klein, 2011; Daruy-Filho, Brietzke, Lafer, & Grassi-Oliveira, 2011; Etain, Henry, Bellivier, Mathieu, & Leboyer, 2008; McIntyre et al., 2008), including early age of onset (Carballo et al., 2008; Dienes, Hammen, Henry, Cohen, & Daley, 2006), recurrence (Brown, McBride, Bauer, & Williford, 2005), and decreased response to treatment (Marchand, Wirth, & Simon, 2005).
