Temperament is a key factor when assessing a patient within the bipolar spectrum. Indeed, Akiskal and others have included the temperaments as conditions in their own right within the bipolar spectrum, describing them as ’soft’ forms of bipolar condition within the spectrum. They can develop over time into a more clear bipolar condition, and hence are important in early diagnosis. In this article, the importance of the temperaments is discussed, and a technique is described for identifying the temperaments of individual patients.
Keywords: bipolar spectrum, temperaments, early diagnosis