The psychopathology among the offspring of schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder patients in an Egyptian sample: A comparative study

Background: A variety of psychiatric illnesses can develop in children of parents who suffer from bipolar affective disorder. Aims: The purpose of the research was to investigate, among the offsprings of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder type I, the prevalence of a variety of psychiatric diseases as well as a range of behavioral abnormalities. Method: This was a cross-sectional observational comparative study. The outpatient psychiatric clinics at Shebin Elkom Mental Health Hospital, Menofia Governorate, Egypt 500 offspring (there were 250 offspring of parents both diagnosed with schizophrenia and 250 offsprings born to parents with bipolar affective disorder). Results: Statistically significant association of male gender with somatic complaints, social problems, and attention problems in the bipolar offspring group. In addition, there was a statistically significant association between female gender and anxiety or depression in the bipolar offspring group. Moreover, there was a statistically significant association between male gender and thought problems and aggressive behavior in the schizophrenia group. Assessment of psychiatric symptoms using K-SADS in relation to gender revealed a statistically significant association of male gender with affective disorder, behavioral disorder, and substance use disorder in the bipolar offspring group. Moreover, there was a statistically significant association between female gender and psychotic disorder in the schizophrenia group. Conclusion: We concluded that offspring with bipolar illness had a significant association with somatic symptoms, anxiety/depressive disorder, social issues, attention problems, and aggressive behavior. Schizophrenia offspring were strongly related to thought issues.