Exploring the Correlation of Childhood Trauma With the Behavioral Activation and Inhibition System in Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar I and II Disorders

Objective Studies examining the relationship between the behavioral inhibition system (BIS), behavioral activation system (BAS), and mood disorders in individuals who have experienced childhood trauma remain limited. This study aimed to investigate the associations between childhood trauma, the BIS/BAS, and mood disorders. Methods This study included 1,026 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD, n=338), bipolar I disorder (BD-I, n=152), bipolar II disorder (BD-II, n=536), and 734 comparisons. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ) and BIS/BAS scale were used for evaluation. Results Differences in the CTQ and BIS/BAS scores among the patient and comparison groups were examined. Patients in the BD-II group had significantly higher total BIS scores than those in the comparison, MDD, and BD-I groups. Patients with BD-I had significantly higher total BAS scores than those with MDD. The CTQ and total BIS scores were positively correlated, and the total BIS scores showed a significant correlation with emotional neglect and emotional abuse subscale scores. In contrast, no correlation was observed between the CTQ and total BAS scores or between MDD and the total BIS/BAS scores. Conclusion Differences in childhood trauma and behavioral patterns were observed based on mood disorders. Hence, this study provides valuable insights for future studies on how childhood trauma affects the BIS/BAS in various mental disorders.