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Stepanova E, Langfus JA, Youngstrom EA, Evans SC, Stoddard J, Young AS, Van Eck K, Findling RL. Finding a Needed Diagnostic Home for Children with Impulsive Aggression. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 2023; 26:259-271. [PMID: 36609931 DOI: 10.1007/s10567-022-00422-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Aggressive behavior is one of the most common reasons for referrals of youth to mental health treatment. While there are multiple publications describing different types of aggression in children, it remains challenging for clinicians to diagnose and treat aggressive youth, especially those with impulsively aggressive behaviors. The reason for this dilemma is that currently several psychiatric diagnoses include only some of the common symptoms of aggression in their criteria. However, no single diagnosis or diagnostic specifier adequately captures youth with impulsive aggression (IA). Here we review select current diagnostic categories, including behavior and mood disorders, and suggest that they do not provide an adequate description of youth with IA. We also specifically focus on the construct of IA as a distinct entity from other diagnoses and propose a set of initial, provisional diagnostic criteria based on the available evidence that describes youth with IA to use for future evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Stepanova
- Virginia Commonwealth University, 1308 Sherwood Ave, Richmond, VA, 23220, USA.
| | - Joshua A Langfus
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E Cameron Ave, CB# 3270, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - Eric A Youngstrom
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 103 Westchester Pl, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514-5237, USA
| | - Spencer C Evans
- University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA
| | - Joel Stoddard
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 13123 East 16Th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Andrea S Young
- Johns Hopkins University, 1800 Orleans Street, Bloomberg 12N, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Kathryn Van Eck
- Johns Hopkins University, 1800 Orleans Street, Bloomberg 12N, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Robert L Findling
- Virginia Commonwealth University, 501 N 2Nd St 4Th Floor, PO Box 980308, Richmond, VA, 23298-0308, USA
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Carlson GA, Singh MK, Amaya-Jackson L, Benton TD, Althoff RR, Bellonci C, Bostic JQ, Chua JD, Findling RL, Galanter CA, Gerson RS, Sorter MT, Stringaris A, Waxmonsky JG, McClellan JM. Narrative Review: Impairing Emotional Outbursts: What They Are and What We Should Do About Them. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2023; 62:135-150. [PMID: 35358662 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2022.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Impairing emotional outbursts, defined by extreme anger or distress in response to relatively ordinary frustrations and disappointments, impact all mental health care systems, emergency departments, schools, and juvenile justice programs. However, the prevalence, outcome, and impact of outbursts are difficult to quantify because they are transdiagnostic and not explicitly defined by current diagnostic nosology. Research variably addresses outbursts under the rubrics of tantrums, anger, irritability, aggression, rage attacks, or emotional and behavioral dysregulation. Consistent methods for identifying and assessing impairing emotional outbursts across development or systems of care are lacking. METHOD The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Presidential Task Force (2019-2021) conducted a narrative review addressing impairing emotional outbursts within the limitations of the existing literature and independent of diagnosis. RESULTS Extrapolating from the existing literature, best estimates suggest that outbursts occur in 4%-10% of community children (preschoolers through adolescents). Impairing emotional outbursts may respond to successful treatment of the primary disorder, especially for some children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder whose medications have been optimized. However, outbursts are generally multi-determined and often represent maladaptive or deficient coping strategies and responses. CONCLUSION Evidence-based strategies are necessary to address factors that trigger, reinforce, or excuse the behaviors and to enhance problem-solving skills. Currently available interventions yield only modest effect sizes for treatment effect. More specific definitions and measures are needed to track and quantify outbursts and to design and assess the effectiveness of interventions. Better treatments are clearly needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle A Carlson
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Putnam Hall, South Campus, Stony Brook, New York.
| | | | | | - Tami D Benton
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | | | | | - Jeff Q Bostic
- MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC
| | - Jaclyn Datar Chua
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | | | - Cathryn A Galanter
- SUNY Downstate, Brooklyn, New York; Kings County Hospital Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | | | - Michael T Sorter
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the University of Cincinnati, Ohio
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Duration of untreated illness in youth depression. CONSORTIUM PSYCHIATRICUM 2022. [DOI: 10.17816/cp206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction
Currently, there are many studies on the effect of the duration of an untreated psychosis on the further course of the disease. In terms of the duration of the untreated illness (DUI) in depression, such studies are significantly less. However, the delay in starting treatment for depression has also been found to have a negative impact on subsequent treatment.
Objective
To determine the effect of DUI on the severity of symptoms during the first depressive episode in non-psychotic mental disorders in youth and the degree of their reduction during treatment.
Material and methods
Diagnosed 52 male in-patients (16-25 years) who were first hospitalized for a depression in non-psychotic mental disorders affective disorders (F31, F32, F33, F34), personality disorders (F60) and schizotypal disorder (F21). The duration of the DUI was 35.817.0 months. The patients were divided into two groups: 1 group (59.6%, n=31) with the DUI lasting more than 36 months, 2 group (40.4%, n=21) with the DUI lasting less than 36 months. HDRS, SOPS and SANS were used. The examination was conducted twice at the time of the patients admission to hospital and before discharge. Statistical analysis was carried out with Statistica 12.
Results
There was no difference in the severity of the clinical symptoms upon admission. However, there were some differences in the residual depressive symptoms on the HDRS scale (p=0.019), negative symptoms on the SOPS (p=0.069), symptoms of disorganization on the SOPS (p=0.091), the total score of the SOPS (p=0.069), negative symptoms Alogia on the SANS (p=0.083), Anhedonia Asociality of the SANS (p=0.058) and the total score on the SANS (p=0.093) at the time of discharge in the patients of 1 group.
Conclusion
The DUI affects the reduction of depressive, negative and disorganized symptoms of youth depression in non-psychotic mental disorders.
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Zik J, Deveney CM, Ellingson JM, Haller SP, Kircanski K, Cardinale EM, Brotman MA, Stoddard J. Understanding Irritability in Relation to Anger, Aggression, and Informant in a Pediatric Clinical Population. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022; 61:711-720. [PMID: 34438022 PMCID: PMC8863995 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2021.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Despite its clinical relevance to pediatric mental health, the relationship of irritability with anger and aggression remains unclear. We aimed to quantify the relationships between well-validated, commonly used measurements of these constructs and informant effects in a clinically relevant population. METHOD A total of 195 children with primary diagnoses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, or no major disorder and their parents rate irritability, anger, and aggression on measures of each construct. Construct and informant relationships were mapped via multi-trait, multi-method factor analysis. RESULTS Parent- and child-reported irritability and child-reported anger are highly associated (r = 0.89) but have some significant differences. Irritability overlaps with outward expression of anger but diverges from anger in anger suppression and control. Aggression has weaker associations with both irritability (r = 0.56) and anger (r = 0.49). Across measures, informant source explains a substantial portion of response variance. CONCLUSION Irritability, albeit distinct from aggression, is highly associated with anger, with notable overlap in child-reported outward expression of anger, providing empirical support for formulations of clinical irritability as a proneness to express anger outwardly. Diagnostic and clinical intervention work on this facet of anger can likely translate to irritability. Further research on external validation of divergence of these constructs in anger suppression and control may guide future scale revisions. The proportion of response variance attributable to informant may be an under-recognized confound in clinical research and construct measurement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi Zik
- Pediatric Mental Health Institute, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
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Evans SC, Wei MA, Harmon SL, Weisz JR. Modular Psychotherapy Outcomes for Youth With Different Latent Profiles of Irritability and Emotion Dysregulation. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:618455. [PMID: 33935825 PMCID: PMC8086835 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.618455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Severe irritability is a common, impairing problem among youth referred for mental health services, but evidence to guide care is limited. Treatment research can be advanced by adopting a transdiagnostic perspective, leveraging existing evidence-based treatment (EBT) techniques, and situating irritability within the context of emotion dysregulation. Accordingly, this study examined treatment outcomes for youth with different levels of irritability and dysregulation who received cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or behavioral parent training (BPT) in a modular EBT framework. Method: We analyzed data from a community-based implementation trial of a transdiagnostic youth psychotherapy. Two-hundred treatment-referred youths (7-15 years; 47% female; 33% White, 28% Black, 24% Latinx, 14% multiracial, 2% other) and their caregivers completed measures of clinical problems and emotion dysregulation at baseline, with repeated outcomes assessments over 18 months. First, latent profile analysis was applied to baseline irritability and emotion dysregulation data; then, latent growth curve models were used to examine outcome trajectories, controlling for covariates. Results: A two-class solution fit well, differentiating youth with high (n = 54) vs. low (n = 146) levels of dysregulation and irritability at baseline. Nearly all high-dysregulation youth received either BPT (n = 26) or CBT-Depression (n = 23). Across measures, both groups showed statistically and clinically significant improvements over time. High-dysregulation youth had greater baseline severity than low-dysregulation youth, but otherwise their longitudinal trajectories were mostly similar, with few between-group slope differences. There was virtually no evidence of differential effects for BPT vs. CBT on clinical outcomes. Conclusions: Youth with severe irritability and dysregulation, treated with a transdiagnostic, modular, EBT approach, showed significant within-person improvements over time. Their outcome trajectories did not differ according to whether they received BPT or CBT. Findings extend the literature on modular, transdiagnostic, and EBT approaches for irritability and dysregulation, suggesting comparable benefits associated with BPT and CBT when treatment selection is guided by comprehensive assessment. Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT03153904.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spencer C. Evans
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States
| | - Melissa A. Wei
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Sherelle L. Harmon
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States
| | - John R. Weisz
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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