JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS

Background: There are no self-report scales that assess manic/hypomanic symptoms in patients with depression. The aim of this study was to explore the use of a modified screening instrument for bipolar disorder to assess current manic/hypomanic symptoms in patients with a depressive episode. Methods: The study sample consisted of 188 patients with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR disorders (SCID) confirmed bipolar or major depressive disorder. We modified the Hypomania Checklist-32 (mHCL-32) to assess current instead of lifetime symptoms. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted to identify clusters of mHCL-32 items that were endorsed concurrently. A Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was carried out to identify groups of patients with similar mHCL-32 item endorsement patterns. Results: The EPA identified 3 factors: factor #1 (elation-disinhibition-increased goal directed activity), factor #2 (risk-taking-impulsivity-substance use) and factor #3 (distractibility-irritability). The LCA yielded 3 classes (2 showing manic/hypomanic features). While class #1 patients endorsed more items related to disinhibition and racing thoughts, class #2 patients recognized more items associated with irritability and substance use Limitations: Lack of an adequate gold standard measure of mixed depression to compare to, the cross-sectional design and the lack of a validation sample. Conclusions: The mHCL-32 scale allowed a comprehensive and convergent delineation of hypomanic/manic symptoms in depression. Further validation of these findings is needed. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved