title: Prevalence of anger attacks in depressive and anxiety disorders: implications for their construct?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Nitesh Prakash
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Painuly
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grover
authors.forename: Nitin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Surendra K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mattoo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression; D000786:Anger; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007508:Irritable Mood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology