Emotion Regulation and Coping Styles in Bipolar Mood Disorder: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Specific coping mechanisms utilised by Bipolar Mood Disorder (BD) patients are increasingly recognised as stable, trait-like prognostic markers. However, foundational regional data from the Indian subcontinent remains largely unexplored compared to advanced global literature. While international research mapped coping deficits to neurobiological vulnerabilities and functional decline, no comparable crosssectional studies originated from the Indian subcontinent. Aim: To assess coping profiles and emotion regulation strategies in an Indian euthymic BD cohort. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted at the Smt. Bhikhiben Kanjibhai Shah Medical Institute and Research Centre (SBKSMI&RC), Sumandeep Vidyapeeth, Vadodara, Gujarat, India, between June 2015 and August 2016 and assessed 200 participants (100 euthymic BD patients, 100 matched healthy controls). Diagnoses were confirmed through detailed, semi-structured clinical interviews conducted by a consultant psychiatrist applying strict DSM-IVTR criteria. Coping profiles were evaluated using the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (Brief COPE) Inventory, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), and Coping Inventory for Prodromes of Mania (CIPM). All participants provided informed consent for the use of anonymised data. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) were utilised for sociodemographic variables. Results: The clinical cohort revealed BD patients relied significantly more on maladaptive strategies including selfblame, rumination, and catastrophising (p<0.001), while underutilising positive reappraisal and active coping (p<0.001). Conclusion: Euthymic BD patients exhibit profound, traitlike vulnerabilities in their coping profiles. Persistent regional literature gap highlights an urgent need to incorporate culturally-adapted cognitive restructuring into standard psychiatric care.