Status within the family and early life experiences in patients with affective disorders and cycloid psychosis.

The family constellation and early childhood experiences have been investigated in 534 in- and outpatients (21 male and 323 female). The series comprised the following diagnostic subgroups: bipolar (n = 195) and unipolar (n = 175) affective psychotic disorders, non-psychotic depressive syndromes (n = 94) and cycloid psychosis (n = 70). A 34-item questionnaire was constructed for the purpose of the present investigation relying upon information about meaningful variables in the relevant literature. Five main areas (status within the family, separation and loss, disturbing life experiences, acts of violence, and somatic factors) were covered in the study. Female patients have been found to be over-represented in regard to many variables. Few inter-group differences were found. This finding would suggest that negative, early childhood experiences are shared by most psychiatric patients and are not specific for any of the disorders which have been taken into account in the study.