Description

How can you tell when teen irritability is ‘just a phase’ and when it is a sign that something more serious is going on? In this episode of Mind the Kids, titled ‘Irritability in Teens More Than a Phase’ host Mark Tebbs talks with Dr Jamilah Silver, Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, whose work focuses on irritability, emotion regulation, and early emerging risk for psychopathology. Together they explore why adolescence is a ‘perfect storm’ for irritability, how it shows up in daily life at home and at school, and when persistent anger, conflict, and moodiness start to impair sleep, friendships, and learning. Jamilah shares findings from a large multinational study of adolescents across nine countries, revealing how common chronic irritability is worldwide and how it links to bullying, depression, anxiety, and lower life satisfaction. The conversation also unpacks gender differences, classroom red flags for teachers, and why clinicians are beginning to treat irritability as a transdiagnostic “front door” signal that deserves earlier screening and support. Whether you are a parent, educator, or clinician, this episode offers practical ways to spot when irritability has tipped from typical teen behaviour into something that may need specialist help.

Learning Objectives

1. Explore irritability as a heightened chronic response to anger and why irritability can lead to significant impairment in relationships and daily functioning.

2. Examine why adolescents experience irritability due to biological, social, and environmental factors and how irritability is linked to various psychological disorders, including depression and anxiety.

3. Recognise how early recognition of irritability can lead to better intervention strategies and how cultural factors influence the expression and impact of irritability.

4. Improve your understanding of how educators can help manage irritability by creating predictable routines.

5. Understand that the clinical significance of irritability is increasingly recognized in psychology, that irritability should be assessed as a transdiagnostic construct, and that research on irritability needs to move beyond single-item assessments.

Paper Link

https://doi.org/10.1111/camh.70008