Behavioral approach and inhibition sensitivity predicts depressive and hypomanic mood and behavior in daily life

The link between the Behavioral Activation (BAS) and Inhibitory System (BIS) and bipolar disorders has been established in trait self-report, behavioral, and neuroimaging studies. The goal of the current investigation was to assess the influence of BAS hypersensitivity, BIS hypersensitivity, and BAS dysregulation on day-to-day hypo/manic and depressive mood, cognition, and behavior.

Young adults (n=497; 51% female, Age_mean=19.2, Age_SD=1.8, Age_Range=18-36) completed trait self-report measures including the BAS, BIS, and BAS dysregulation scales along with a bipolar disorder screening measure, the General Behavior Inventory. They completed daily BAS and BIS measures and the Modified Inventory for Behavioral Variation (MIBV) measuring depressive and hypo/manic mood, cognition and behavior. Dynamic Structural Equation Modeling was used to examine temporal patterns over time.

Highter trait self-report BAS scores were associated with more hypo/manic-like tendencies in daily life. On days when individuals were experiencing greater BAS activation, they were more likely to have more (hypo)manic tendencies and conversely, lower BAS activation was associated with more depressive tendencies. Trait self-report BIS scores were positively associated with daily MIBV scores indicating that those who tend to display BIS activation tend to experience more depressive tendencies in their daily life. Intraindividual variability in MIBV scores were associated with greatest number of mania risk predictors.

Daily measures of BAS and BIS hypersensitivity are associated with the temporal dynamics of depressive and hypomanic mood, cognitions, and behavior in daily life, highlighting their potential importance for real-world behavioral monitoring of mania and mood instability risk detection.