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Association Between Irritability and Depressive Symptoms in Children and Adolescents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2020

M. Busto-garrido ,
D. Gutierrez-castillo ,
J.R. Navas-gonzalez ,
M. Gutierrez-bedmar ,
J.R. Gutierrez-casares ,
M.T. Martin-lunar ,
A. Rodriguez-rosado  and
J.M. Pena-andreu
M. Busto-garrido
Affiliation:
Hospital Regional de Malaga, Psychiatry, Malaga, Spain
D. Gutierrez-castillo
Affiliation:
Hospital Virgen de la Victoria, Psychiatry, Malaga, Spain
J.R. Navas-gonzalez
Affiliation:
Universidad de Malaga. School of Medicine, Public Health and Psychiatry, Málaga, Spain
M. Gutierrez-bedmar
Affiliation:
Universidad de Malaga. School of Medicine, Public Health and Psychiatry, Málaga, Spain
J.R. Gutierrez-casares
Affiliation:
Complejo hospitalario universitario de Badajoz, Psychiatry, Badajoz, Spain
M.T. Martin-lunar
Affiliation:
Complejo hospitalario universitario de Badajoz, Psychiatry, Badajoz, Spain
A. Rodriguez-rosado
Affiliation:
Universidad de Malaga. School of Medicine, Public Health and Psychiatry, Málaga, Spain
J.M. Pena-andreu
Affiliation:
Universidad de Malaga. School of Medicine, Public Health and Psychiatry, Málaga, Spain

Abstract

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Introduction

Irritability is the most frequently reported symptom in child and adolescent depression. The association of both has been linked with high rates of chronicity, comorbility and impairment.

Objectives

To study the association between irritability and depressive symptoms in children and adolescents.

Methods

We have studied 857 participants recruited from the only child and adolescent mental health clinic in a catchment area of 122,968 people under 18 (2004–2010). A sample of 857 participants (112 controls and 745 patients) was included to carry out a cross-sectional study. Irritability was measured by a Visual Analog Scale (VAS irritability)–scored from 0 to 10–, and depressive symptoms by the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). The participants were categorized into controls and patients, and according to their irritability (≤ 4 [I], 5 [II] and ≥ 6 [III]). The mean of CDI score was calculated for each of the groups, adjusted by sex and age, and analyzed by ANCOVA.

Results

The following means were obtained from the controls: 13,71 (group I), 9,82 (group II) and 17,45 (group III). Regarding to the patients: 13,92 (group I), 11,54 (group II) and 15,64 (group III). A quadratic association (P < 0.0015) was found between VAS irritability score and CDI score.

Conclusions

There is not a linear association between irritability and depressive symptoms in children and adolescent. High rates of depressive symptoms were associated both with high and low rates of irritability. Several questions remain unexplained about the status of irritability in psychiatry, as Stringaris group has been pointed out.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Type
e-poster walk: Child and adolescent psychiatry–Part 4
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 41 , Issue S1: Abstract of the 25th European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2017 , pp. S220 - S221
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2017
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