Prevalence of anger attacks in depressive and anxiety disorders: Implications for their construct?

• Published in: Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences Vol. 65; no. 2; pp. 165 - 174
• Main Authors: Painuly, Nitesh Prakash, Grover, Sandeep, Gupta, Nitin, Mattoo, Surendra K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne, Australia Blackwell Publishing Asia 01.03.2011; Wiley-Blackwell
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aggression; Anger; anger attacks; Anxiety; Anxiety - epidemiology; Anxiety - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Demography; Depression; Depression - epidemiology; Depression - psychology; Emotions; Female; Humans; Inventories; Irritable Mood; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mood disorders; Prevalence; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; Mood disorder; Anger; Affect affectivity; Prevalence; Anxiety disorder; anger attacks; Depression; Anxiety; Emotion emotionality; Epidemiology; Public health; Quality of life
• ISSN: 1323-1316; 1440-1819; 1440-1819
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1819.2010.02177.x

Aims:  The present study explores anger attacks in depressive and anxiety disorders for their prevalence and some of the clinical and psychosocial correlates. Methods:  The sample comprised of patients with ICD‐10‐diagnosed depressive and anxiety disorders (n = 328). All the subjects were given a demographic and clinical profile sheet, the Irritability Depression Anxiety Scale, World Health Organization Quality of Life – BREF Version and the Anger Attack Questionnaire. Using the Anger Attack Questionnaire they were divided into two groups – with anger attacks (n = 170) and without anger attacks (n = 158) – in order to study the differential profile of the two groups. Results:  Anger attacks were associated with more anxiety and irritability, and poorer quality of life. Frequency of anger attacks had a positive correlation with depression, irritability and aggression, and a negative correlation with education, income, and quality of life. Panic attacks, somatic anxiety and psychological domain of quality of life predicted the categorization of subjects into those with and without anger attacks. Conclusion:  Anger attacks are common among depressive and anxiety disorder cases and have a negative impact on quality of life. Status of anger attacks as either linked to anxiety and/or depression, or as an independent syndrome needs further study.