New study finds link between irritable teens and depressed adults.
New research has shown that high levels of irritability in teens could be a potential predictor of adult depression.
The US National Institute of Mental Health researched the topic by surveying the parents of 631 teens about the irritability of their children.
Now, 20 years later, the same group of young people have been assessed for mood and anxiety disorders. It turns out that those who were irritable as teens were more likely to grow into adults suffering from depression or anxiety.
The study, published in the
American Journal of Psychiatry, suggests that tantrums with teachers and peeves with parents are strong predictors of depression or anxiety disorders in adulthood.
Before you start worrying about your cranky teenage siblings, researchers noted that further studies are required to be carried out on the subject.
The study also suggests that youth irritability does not predict the development of bipolar disorder or other serious mental health disorders.