Explosive Anger More Common in Teens Than Once Thought

Angry teen boy — Teen angst is one thing, but violent anger attacks that continue more than a few times a year may indicate a rage-type disorder, called intermittent explosive disorder.

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Uncontrollable anger may be more prevalent in teens than once thought, suggests a study finding that nearly two-thirds of U.S. adolescents have experienced an anger attack at some point in their lives.

These fits of rage involved violent threats, destruction of property or actual violence toward others. None could be accounted for by another mental disorder, and between 6 percent and nearly 8 percent of these teens would meet criteria for so-called intermittent explosive disorder (IED), a diagnosis given to people who have uncontrollable, aggressive outbursts.

These explosive anger attacks are serious, said study researcher Ronald Kessler of Harvard Medical School. They not only can harm others and destroy property, the disorder also seems to continue into adulthood. And while many individuals with intermittent explosive disorder don't seek treatment, studies have shown that certain medications and cognitive-behavior therapy can reduce the anger fits, according to a review just published in the journal Evidence-Based Psychiatric Treatment.

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"I chose both of them because the psychiatric profession is pretty confused by what they mean by IED and this is one example," Kessler told LiveScience in an interview. "There has been argument over the years about exactly how to define it and whether it exists, and this argument continues now," he said, adding that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is currently being revised for the fifth time and this definition could change. [10 Controversial Psychiatric Disorders]

Some research has shown that antidepressants that work to dampen panic attacks may also do the same for these anger attacks, said Kessler, who wasn't involved in that work. In fact, he said there may be a link between the two. Studies suggest IED is more common in kids of mothers who suffer from panic attacks. And while panic attacks are more common in women, anger attacks are more common in males, Kessler noted.

Jeanna Bryner is managing editor of Scientific American. Previously she was editor in chief of Live Science and, prior to that, an editor at Scholastic's Science World magazine. Bryner has an English degree from Salisbury University, a master's degree in biogeochemistry and environmental sciences from the University of Maryland and a graduate science journalism degree from New York University. She has worked as a biologist in Florida, where she monitored wetlands and did field surveys for endangered species, including the gorgeous Florida Scrub Jay. She also received an ocean sciences journalism fellowship from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. She is a firm believer that science is for everyone and that just about everything can be viewed through the lens of science.