BACKGROUND Accurate recognition of the emotions of others is an important part of healthy neurological development and promotes positive psychosocial adaptation. Differences in emotional recognition may be associated with the presence of emotional biases and can alter one's perception, thus influencing their overall social cognition abilities. The present study aims to extend our collective understanding of emotion attribution abnormalities in individuals with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). METHODS Two-hundred and forty-two adults participated, separated into groups of those diagnosed with IED according to DSM 5 criteria, Psychiatric Controls (PC), and Healthy Controls (HC). Participants completed a modified version of the Emotional Attribution Task wherein they attributed an emotion to the main character of a short vignette. RESULTS Participants with IED correctly identified anger stories and misattributed anger to non-anger stories significantly more often than PC and HC participants. They were also significantly less likely than HC participants to correctly identify "sad stories." LIMITATIONS We utilized self-report assessments in a community-recruited sample. Replication in a clinical is suggested. CONCLUSIONS Findings from this study support the validity of IED as a diagnostic entity and provide important information about how individuals with psychiatric disorders perceive and experience emotional cues.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesise global data on the prevalence, determinants, and moderators of Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). Analysing 29 studies (N = 182,112 participants across 17 countries), pooled lifetime and 12-month prevalence estimates were 5.1 % (95 % CI: 3.4-7.5 %) and 4.4 % (95 % CI: 2.9-6.7 %), respectively. Prevalence varied significantly across subgroups, with higher rates in clinical (10.5 %), refugee (8.5 %), and adolescent populations. Male gender (OR = 3.39), younger age, trauma exposure, and psychiatric comorbidities (mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders) emerged as robust risk factors. Studies using DSM-5 criteria reported lower prevalence than DSM-IV. Regional disparities were notable, with elevated rates in conflict-affected and Global South regions. Heterogeneity was partially explained by population type, diagnostic criteria, and sociocultural context. Findings underscore the multifactorial etiology of IED, shaped by biological vulnerabilities, trauma, and structural adversities. A tiered intervention framework integrating universal prevention, targeted therapies, and policy advocacy is therefore proposed to address its global burden.

Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is characterized by sudden, disproportionate outbursts of anger that can severely impact individuals' quality of life, causing difficulties in maintaining relationships, issues at work or school and potential legal troubles. This study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyse the effectiveness of psychological and pharmacological treatments for IED, drawing insights from both case studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A total of 12 RCTs and 14 case studies were included in this comprehensive analysis. The meta-analysis revealed that psychological treatments, particularly cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), showed significant effectiveness in reducing aggression and achieving full remission compared to pharmacological treatments. However, the latter, notably fluoxetine, demonstrated notable efficacy in managing irritability and achieving treatment response. Subgroup analysis identified follow-up time and intervention type as significant moderators of treatment outcomes. The systematic review of case studies highlighted the successful application of deep brain stimulation (DBS) and various off-label medications, including SSRIs and mood stabilizers, in managing IED symptoms. Despite these insights, the study emphasizes the need for more robust evidence-based treatment protocols and further research into the underlying mechanisms of IED to develop targeted treatments. 379 blackwellopen Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy Clin Psychol Psychother PMC11740934 11740934 11740934 39821512 10.1002/cpp.70016 Comprehensive Review and Meta‐Analysis of Psychological and Pharmacological Treatment for Intermittent Explosive Disorder: Insights From Both Case Studies and Randomized Controlled Trials Liu Fangqing 1 ✉ Yin Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. ABSTRACT Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is characterized by sudden, disproportionate outbursts of anger that can severely impact individuals' quality of life, causing difficulties in maintaining relationships, issues at work or school and potential legal troubles. Introduction Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is characterized by sudden and disproportionate outbursts of anger in response to minor daily provocations (Scott, de Vries, et al. 2020 ). These outbursts can manifest as verbal aggression (such as temper tantrums, tirades or arguments) or physical aggression towards property, animals or other individuals (American Psychiatric Association 2013 ). Such anger outbursts are often spontaneous, not premeditated and also cause significant detriment to multiple aspects of quality of life, such as difficulties in maintaining relationships, issues at work or school, together with potential legal issues (Scott et al. 2020 ). A core element of CBT for IED involves cognitive restructuring, where individuals are taught to challenge and modify distorted thinking patterns that fuel anger and aggression (Costa et al. 2018 ). For instance, individuals learn to identify irrational beliefs, such as ‘people are intentionally trying to provoke me’, and replace them with more balanced, reality‐based thoughts (McCloskey et al. 2016 ). In addition, relaxation training techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing, are employed to mitigate the physiological arousal associated with anger, thereby reducing the likelihood of explosive outbursts (Norelli et al. 2024 ; Toussaint et al. 2021 ). In addition to relaxation techniques, AMT emphasizes problem‐solving skills to approach and resolve conflicts in a rational and non‐aggressive manner, and communication training is provided to enhance assertiveness and the expression of needs without resorting to aggression (Lench 2004 ). 1.2. Pharmacological Treatment for IED Pharmacological treatments for IED aim to mitigate the frequency and intensity of explosive outbursts by targeting the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the disorder (Coccaro, Lee, et al. 2015 ; Felthous et al. 2021 ; van Schalkwyk et al. 2018 ). 2021 ; Holmes and Hernandez‐Diaz 2012 ; López‐Muñoz et al. 2018 ). These medications work through mechanisms that modulate glutamate or dopamine pathways, reducing irritability and impulsive aggression (Nordman 2022 ). Beta‐blockers (e.g., propranolol), typically used to treat hypertension, have been effective in some cases of IED by dampening the physiological arousal associated with anger, such as rapid heart rate and sweating, which may precede explosive episodes (Stroup 2006 ). Category Search terms IED Intermittent Explosive Disorder OR IED OR Impulsive* Treatment Treatment OR Intervention OR Therapy OR Interve* Pharmacological Drug OR Pharma* OR Psychopharm* OR Antidepressants OR Mood stabilizers Psychological CBT OR Cognitive Behavioral Therapy OR Anger management* OR behavio* Others Randomized controlled trial OR Randomised controlled trial OR RCT OR Integrated treatment Abbreviations: CBT = cognitive behavioural therapy; IED = intermittent explosive disorder; RCT = randomized controlled trial. FIGURE 1 Flowchart of study selection process in the meta‐analysis of RCTs (Page et al. 2021 ). The search term we applied for this systematic review is listed in Table 4 . TABLE 4 Comprehensive search terms for case study. Category Search terms IED Intermittent Explosive Disorder OR IED OR Impulsive* OR Explosive disorder OR Aggressive outbursts Treatment Treatment OR Intervention OR Therapy OR Interve* OR Management OR Pharmacotherapy OR Psychotherapy Case reports Case series OR Case report OR Clinical report OR Clinical case OR Patient report OR Case study The population‐intervention‐comparator‐outcomes‐study design (PICOS) framework was used to identify eligible cases.

Abstract This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesie global data on the prevalence, determinants, and moderators of Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). Analyzing 29 studies (N = 182,112 participants across 17 countries), pooled lifetime and 12-month prevalence estimates were 5.1% (95% CI: 3.4–7.5%) and 4.4% (95% CI: 2.9–6.7%), respectively. Prevalence varied significantly across subgroups, with higher rates in clinical (10.5%), refugee (8.5%), and adolescent populations. Male gender (OR = 3.39), younger age, trauma exposure (dose-response relationship), and psychiatric comorbidities (mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders) emerged as robust risk factors. Studies using DSM-5 criteria reported lower prevalence than DSM-IV. Regional disparities were notable, with elevated rates in conflict-affected and Global South regions. Heterogeneity was partially explained by population type, diagnostic criteria, and sociocultural context. Findings underscore the multifactorial etiology of IED, shaped by biological vulnerabilities, trauma, and structural adversities. A tiered intervention framework integrating universal prevention, targeted therapies, and policy advocacy is therefore proposed to address its global burden.

between thyroid hormone and mood disorder is still not known. Intermittent explosive disorder: Intermittent explosive disorder is frequent rage that occurs spontaneous A mood swing is an extreme or sudden change of mood. Such changes can play a positive or a disruptive part in promoting problem solving and in producing flexible forward planning. When mood swings are severe, they may be categorized as part of a mental illness, such as bipolar disorder, where erratic and disruptive mood swings are a defining feature. To determine mental health problems, people usu A…

Aggressive behavior is one of the main characteristics of different psychiatric disorders such as: personality disorders (antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder), schizophrenia, intermittent explosive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, depression, alcohol/substance induced psychiatric disorders. Epidemiological evidence shows that always there is a higher risk of violence and aggressivity among patients with psychiatric disorders compared with general population. Researchers have tried many times to narrow the theories that can explain such a behavior, starting from models that involve a link between illness and aggression going up to external-environmental factors including the therapeutic relation in the hospital. Even if the majority of studies are centered on intoxications (with alcohol or other substances that potentiate the aggressive behavior) we will highlight another somatic dimension linked with this behavior. In the following review we summarize the hormonal imbalances that have been noted to accompany aggressive behavior in different psychiatric disorders. Several studies have been made starting even at the age of ten corelating hormone cortisol with increase aggression, but patients with psychiatric disorders have a higher sensitivity in linking hormonal imbalance with their behavior.