Children of parents with bipolar disorder may be impacted in their early life in several ways. They have an increased risk of developing bipolar disorder themselves due to genetic and environmental factors. Research has also shown that these children exhibit more aggression and less altruistic behavior in social interactions compared to children without a bipolar parent. Additionally, they have a higher risk of suicidal behaviors as young adults if their mother has bipolar or major depressive disorder.

1. bipolar parenting,
or: how the children of bipolar parents may be
impacted throughout their early lifespans
Remember that while
most of this data is
based off of
percentages, there are
no 100% chances here.
None of it is set in stone.
It's 'Risks,' not
'Certainties.'

2. bipolar disorder &
family history: nature AND nurture
(nature AND nurture)

3. Mason, C., Subedi, S., Davis, R. B., (2007). Clients with Mental
potential demographic?
Illness and Their Children: Implications for Clinical Practice.
citation:
Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 28. 1105-1123.
* "Given that frequencies
found in this study were
obtained from client files and
were therefore only those
that were reported, actual
frequencies for many of
these variables could be
higher than these numbers
suggest."

4. citation:
Zahn-Waxler, C., Cummings, E. M., McKnew, D. H., Radke-
Yarrow, M. (1984). Altruism, Aggression, and Social Interactions
(this is important)
in Young Children with a Manic-
Depressive Parent. Child Development, Vol. 55. 112-122.

5. (this is also important)
Klimes-Dougan, B., Lee, C. S., Ronsaville, D., Martinez, P. (2008). Suicidal Risk in Young Adult Offspring of
citation: Mothers with Bipolar or Major Depressive Disorder: A Longitudinal Study. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL
PSYCHOLOGY, Vol. 64(4).