The Irritability Questionnaire: a new scale for the measurement of irritability

Craig, Kevin J.; Hietanen, Heidi; Markova, Ivana S.; Berrios, German E.

Abstract

Irritability is an important symptom in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders. It is a major source of distress to patients and their carers and can lead to social and family dysfunction. Despite this, there has been little systematic research on irritability in psychiatry. The development of an instrument that captures the various components of irritability is a prerequisite to more detailed research in this area. The aim of this study was to design a scale to measure irritable mood and to explore its nature and subtypes. Following a review of the literature and examination of current theories in affective neuroscience, a new self-rating questionnaire was developed covering a range of subjective experiences, judgements and behaviours deemed to encompass the components of irritability. The items were rated along intensity and frequency dimensions. The questionnaire was administered to patients with affective disorders (n=22), Huntington's disease (n=23), Alzheimer's disease (n=19) and a control group (n=46). The new questionnaire shows good reliability and validity. Preliminary differences in irritability were identified between the diagnostic groups. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Citation

Craig, K. J., Hietanen, H., Markova, I. S., & Berrios, G. E. (2008). The Irritability Questionnaire: a new scale for the measurement of irritability. Psychiatry research, 159(3), 367-375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2007.03.002

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 4, 2007
• Online Publication Date: Apr 18, 2008
• Publication Date: Jun 30, 2008
• Deposit Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 27, 2022
• Journal: Psychiatry Research
• Print ISSN: 0165-1781
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 159
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 367-375
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2007.03.002
• Keywords: Irritable mood; Psychiatric rating scales; Emotion; Mood disorders
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/460799
• Publisher URL: http://www.psy-journal.com/article/S0165-1781(07)00090-X/fulltext