36.5 (SD = 4.81) is achieved; and on the Hyperarousal subscale (range = 0-35), a mean value of 30.1 (SD = 5.14) is achieved. The documented differences are highly statistically significant (P < 0.001) and can be described as 'severe' in all patients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the probability of PTSD and other mental disorders in refugees, especially women, increased in comparison with the already difficult situation before the crisis. The complete isolation and the impossibility of leaving the refugee camp probably reactivated the traumatic experience with a feeling of helplessness, similar to that during captivity or flight. Altogether, our analyses in a refugee camp provide additional evidence that being unable to obtain any medical support, the experience of repeated helplessness, and the loss of control seem to play an impressive role among those who still report suffering from traumatization and other mental disorders 5 years after experiencing genocide. The limitations of the current study in refugees living in campsthe first of its kind during the COVID-19 pandemicinclude the use of a cross-sectional cohort and in the first instance a relatively small sample size with a limited set of psychometric instruments. Future studies are required to investigate the impact of the current pandemic on refugees with existing psychological problems. The development of adapted mental treatment approaches for refugees during future pandemics seems wise and urgently necessary.
Bipolar spectrum disorders are characterized by alternating intervals of extreme positive and negative affect. We performed a meta-analysis to test the hypothesis that such disorders would be related to dysregulated reinforcement sensitivity. First, we reviewed 23 studies that reported the correlation between self-report measures of (hypo)manic personality and measures of reinforcement sensitivity. A large relationship was found between (hypo)manic personality and BAS sensitivity (g = .74), but not with BIS sensitivity (g =-.08). This stands in contrast to self-reported depression which has a small, negative relationship with BAS sensitivity and a large positive one with BIS sensitivity (Katz et al., 2020). Next, we reviewed 33 studies that compared reinforcement sensitivity between euthymic, bipolar participants and healthy controls. There, bipolar disorder had a small, positive relationship with BAS sensitivity (g = .20) and a medium, positive relationship with BIS sensitivity (g = .64). These findings support a dual-system theory of bipolar disorders, wherein BAS sensitivity is more closely related to mania and BIS sensitivity more closely to bipolar depression. Bipolar disorders show diatheses for both states with euthymic participants being BAS-and BIS-hypersensitive. Implications for further theory and research practice are expounded upon in the discussion. Highlights: Mania is positively associated with BAS sensitivity. Conversely, bipolar depression is positively associated with BIS sensitivity. Both risk factors are present in euthymic bipolar disorder. BAS sensitivity is strongly associated with self-reported nonclinical (hypo)manic severity. Findings support a dual-system approach to bipolar disorders.
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