Updateon Recent Research with the Hypomania Checklist HCL-32

Abstract

Background:

The Hypomania Checklist HCL-32 (Angst et al. 2005) is still in development as a screening instrument for hypomania in depressed patients and as a research tool.

Update:

The original HCL-32 was slightly modified, omitting one tricky question on consequences (HCL-32 R1) and recently (HCL-32 R2) by adding two new symptoms (gambling and overeating). It is currently available in 27 languages.

New investigations include a Europe-wide GAMIAN study, individual studies in Brazil, Tunisia, Lebanon, Turkey, Korea, Taiwan and China, and the ongoing worldwide multicentre BRIDGE study.

Results:

1. 1. new data have been collected on the re-test reliability in China and Sweden and correlations with the Mood Disorder Questionnaire in Brazil;

2. 2. exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis re-confirmed a two-factor structure (elated/overactive vs. irritable/risk taking) of the self-assessed hypomanic syndrome, replicable in over 1500 subjects from the community and patients with mood disorders across all cultures so far analysed;

3. 3. total item scores have repeatedly been shown to be independent of the current mood state (normal, low, high);

4. 4. adolescents/young adults in love feel high, and score comparably to bipolar-II patients on the HCL-32 (Brand et al 2007);

5. 5. 89% of bariatric patients were also found to be high scorers on the HCL-32 (Alciati et al. 2007);

6. 6. studies with the HCL-32 in subjects with alcohol use disorders (AUD) (previously shown to be strongly associated with bipolarity) are ongoing.

Future goals:

Trans-cultural comparisons and evaluation of the questions on the consequences of hypomania for case-definition.