Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the demographic and psychosocial profile of the children with and without disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) attending psychiatric and pediatric OPD and evaluation of the phenomenology of children diagnosed with DMDD.
Materials and methods: Children of 6-16 years attending the psychiatric outpatient department were screened by self-made peer-reviewed questionnaire and further underwent diagnostic evaluation using DSM 5 diagnostic criteria. Socioeconomic status (SES) was assessed using the Kuppuswamy scale. Affective Reactivity Index (ARI) was used to measure the severity of irritability. Overall behavioral problems were assessed on Conner's parent rating scale and impairment in functioning on the Children's Global Assessment of Functioning Scale.
Results: A total of nine subjects were diagnosed with DMDD out of 500. The mean age of children with DMDD was higher than other children. DMDD children had better SES. Multiple psychosocial factors such as broken family, family history of psychiatric illness, and childhood adversities including sexual abuse were found to be a contributory factor. Those diagnosed with DMDD had significant conduct and learning problem along with moderate to severe irritability and a mean CGAS value of 50.66 which implies that children with DMDD had moderate impairment in functioning.
Conclusions: DMDD cases have male preponderance, urban background, and belong to upper and middle socioeconomic strata. Conduct problems, academic decline, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and mild degree of impairment in anxiety, along with moderate to severe irritability produce impairment in their overall functioning of these children.
Keywords: Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder; irritability; mood disorder in children; psychosocial profile.
Copyright: © 2021 Industrial Psychiatry Journal.