Prevalence of Cyclothymic Disorder Among University Students in the Iraqi and Lebanese Communities: A Cross-Cultural Study

Abstract

Cyclothymic disorder is classified within the group of bipolar and related disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR) issued by the American Psychiatric Association in 2022. Its prevalence rate is estimated at approximately 0.4%–2.5% of the world population, and no differences have been found between males and females in the likelihood of developing the disorder, although females appear to have a higher predisposition than males. The present study aims to examine the scientific methodology of cross-cultural comparative research, which focuses on systematic comparisons across cultures and seeks to answer questions related to the prevalence, distribution, and determinants of cultural diversity, as well as complex social and psychological issues across broad contexts—often on a global scale. Cross-cultural research strives to develop reliable explanations for why phenomena appear in certain ways. Cultural comparison does not negate cultural uniqueness; cross-cultural scholars do not deny the distinctiveness of cultures, as uniqueness and similarity always coexist. Cross-cultural research, therefore, engages with what is universal or shared among some or all human cultures. Accordingly, this study seeks to identify the prevalence of cyclothymic disorder among university students in both Iraqi and Lebanese societies.