Survey Helps Determine Worrisome Versus Expected Childhood Behavior

New findings published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reveal that using a novel dimensional method for distinguishing misbehavior may help predict whether children just have irritability or more serious behavioral issues.

During the study, researchers specifically looked for patterns of behavior, giving the Temper Loss Scale of Multidimensional Assessment Profile of Disruptive Behavior, or MAP-DB, to the mothers of 497 children, all around 4 years old. The survey rated children's behavior, ranging from typical tantrums, more destructive ones and intense angry moods. Children involved in the study were then followed for a span of 16 months.

Findings revealed that preschoolers with elevated Temper Loss scale scores had a substantially increased risk of developing generalized anxiety disorders, depression, oppositional defiant disorder and/or separation anxiety disorder.

"Basically, we are generating a science of when to worry in early childhood, a kind of behavioral precision medicine for preschoolers," said Dr. Lauren Wakschlag, a professor in the Department of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, in a press release. "By combining this dimensional approach with consideration of other key factors that influence the likelihood that high early irritability will result in mental health problems, our goal is to provide a clinical-decision making roadmap for pediatricians, teachers and mental health professionals caring for young kids."

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