Reliability and convergent validity of retrospective reports of childhood maltreatment by individuals with bipolar disorder.

Childhood maltreatment is associated with the etiology and clinical course of bipolar disorder. Most studies employ retrospective maltreatment self-reports which are vulnerable to bias, raising questions about their validity and reliability. This study examined the test-retest reliability over 10 years, the convergent validity and the impact of current mood on retrospective reports of childhood maltreatment in a bipolar sample. 85 participants with bipolar I disorder completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire [CTQ] and the Parental Bonding Instrument [PBI] at baseline. Beck Depression Inventory and Self Report Mania Inventory assessed depressive and manic symptoms, respectively. 53 participants completed the CTQ at baseline and 10-year follow-up. Good levels of convergent validity were observed between the CTQ and PBI. Correlations ranged from r= -0.35 (CTQ emotional abuse and PBI paternal care) to r= -0.65 (CTQ emotional neglect and PBI maternal care). Good agreement between CTQ reports at baseline and 10-year follow-up were found (range: κ=0.41 for physical neglect to κ=0.83 for sexual abuse). Higher depression and mania scores were recorded among participants who reported abuse (but not neglect) compared to those without such reports. These findings support using this method in research and clinical practice, though current mood should be taken into account.