COMORBID DISORDERS IN HOSPITALIZED BIPOLAR ADOLESCENTS COMPARED WITH UNIPOLAR DEPRESSED ADOLESCENTS

This study examined comorbid psychiatric disorders in adolescents with bipolar disorder. Hospitalized bipolar adolescents (N = 10) were compared to hospitalized adolescents with unipolar depression (N = 33), and to adolescents with nonaffective psychiatric disorders (N = 11). Results showed conduct disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, psychosis, and having any DSM-III-R psychoactive substance use disorder were all significantly more common in the bipolar group than the unipolar depressed group. Comorbid anxiety disorder was present in 40-45% of the subjects in the unipolar and bipolar groups, but in none of the control group subjects.