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Irritability in Children and Adolescents.
Melissa A Brotman1, Katharina Kircanski1, Ellen Leibenluft1
1Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892; email: brotmanm@mail.nih.gov , kircanskik@mail.nih.gov , leibs@mail.nih.gov.
Annual Review of Clinical Psychology
|May 10, 2017
Summary
Irritability in youth is a significant public health concern, often challenging to define and diagnose. This review clarifies irritability, exploring its clinical context and historical research to improve understanding and treatment approaches.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Irritability is a prevalent and impairing clinical presentation in children and adolescents.
- Despite its public health impact, irritability remains an elusive construct, with ongoing debate regarding the validity of diagnoses like disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD).
- Irritability is recognized as a continuously distributed trait in youth, aligning with frameworks like the National Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clarify the definitions of irritability by integrating clinical and translational animal research.
- To review the historical context of irritability research in youth.
- To provide a scientific review and integration of the complex construct of irritability.
Main Methods:
- Literature review synthesizing clinical observations and translational animal studies.
- Historical analysis of research methodologies and diagnostic approaches to irritability.
- Integration of findings within current psychiatric nosologies and research frameworks like RDoC.
Main Results:
- The review aims to establish clearer, evidence-based definitions of irritability in pediatric populations.
- It highlights the historical evolution of understanding irritability, from early conceptualizations to current diagnostic challenges.
- The study underscores the continuous nature of irritability as a trait, suggesting a dimensional approach is warranted.
Conclusions:
- A comprehensive understanding of irritability requires integrating diverse research perspectives, including clinical, translational, and historical data.
- Refining the definition and conceptualization of irritability is crucial for advancing research and clinical practice in child and adolescent mental health.
- Further research is needed to validate diagnostic approaches and inform evidence-based interventions for chronic and severe irritability.
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