BHS 420 Quantitative Reasoning (Module 5-SLP) - Essay Example

Running Head: RESEARCH S Research s: Bipolar Disorder and Creative Genius YOUR Research s Holmesa, E.A., Geddesa, J.R., Colomb, f., & Goodwina, G.M. (2008). Mental imagery as an emotional amplifier: Application to bipolar disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 46, 12, pp. 1251-1258.Research Procedure: Literature ReviewResearcher: AuthorsWhere and How Sample Obtained: The approach supposes a central role for involuntary, distressing mental images about the past or future that come to mind unbidden, typically with high levels of affect.

Such images have already provided a distinct and critical Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) treatment target in conditions where the salience of imagery is obvious. Samples were obtained from the review of primary research.Description of Results: Imagery suggests a unifying explanation for key unexplained features of bipolar disorder: ubiquitous anxiety, mood instability and creativity. Introducing imagery has novel implications for bipolar treatment innovation - an area where CBT improvements are much-needed.

Santosa, C.M., Strong, C.M, Nowakowska, C., Wang, P.W., Rennicke, C.M., & Ketter, T.A. (2007). Enhanced creativity in bipolar disorder patients: A controlled study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 100, (1-3), pp. 31-39.Research Procedure: Direct study of 49 BP, 25 MDD, 32 CC, and 47 HC (all euthymic) completed four creativity measures yielding six parameters: the Barron-Welsh Art Scale (BWAS-Total, and two subscales, BWAS-Dislike and BWAS-Like), the Adjective Check List Creative Personality Scale (ACL-CPS), and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking--Figural (TTCT-F) and Verbal (TTCT-V) versions.

Mean scores on these instruments were compared across groups. Researcher: AuthorsWhere and How Sample Obtained: Researchers assessed non-eminent creativity in euthymic bipolar (BP) and unipolar major depressive disorder (MDD) patients, creative discipline controls (CC), and healthy controls (HC). Description of Results: Researchers found BP and CC (but not MDD) had similarly enhanced creativity on the BWAS-Total (driven by an increase on the BWAS-Dislike) compared to HC. Further studies are needed to determine the mechanisms of enhanced creativity and how it relates to clinical (e.g. temperament, mood, and medication status) and preclinical (e.g. visual and affective processing substrates) parameters.

Simeonova, D.I., Chang, K.D., Strong, C., & Ketter, T.A. (2005). Creativity in familial bipolar disorder. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 39, 6, pp. 623-631.Research Procedure: Researchers compared creativity in bipolar parents and their offspring with BD and bipolar offspring with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with healthy control adults and their children, using 40 adults with BD, 20 bipolar offspring with BD, 20 bipolar offspring with ADHD, and 18 healthy control parents and their healthy control children who completed the Barron-Welsh Art Scale (BWAS), an objective measure of creativity.

Researcher: AuthorsWhere and How Sample Obtained: Direct participation in the study at Stanford University School of Medicine.Description of Results: The results of this study support an association between BD and creativity and contribute to a better understanding of possible mechanisms of transmission of creativity in families with genetic susceptibility for BD. Summary: Both the Santosa and the Simeonova studies are promising in that they are direct research samples on the point of the relationship between BPD and creativity.

At this point, I have encountered no literature that has zero value. The qualitative literature, however, is weaker than the direct quantitative studies simply because they are subjective descriptions rather than hard data. While such sources do provide an understanding of the concepts and point toward areas of possible inquiry, the quantitative studies demonstrate a correlation between BPD and creativity. More research is needed to fill out some of the gaps I have found in my studies so far.