Cross-Cultural Consortium on Irritability (C3I): An International Network for Research on Cultural Similarities and Differences in Irritability

Abstract

Objective: Irritability is among the top reasons for youth mental health referrals worldwide. Cultural factors may affect how irritability manifests and develops; how it is experienced by youth and responded to by their caregivers; and how it is treated. However, the influences of cultural context on irritability have received little systematic investigation.

Method: The Cross-Cultural Consortium on Irritability (C3I; https://m.yale.edu/c3i) is an international research network created to increase the limited evidence base on cross-cultural similarities and differences in irritability. By bringing together researchers worldwide, C3I provides an innovative and collaborative approach to address unmet needs and to explore novel research questions regarding cultural variation in irritability. In addition, combining resources and data around the globe helps to produce robust, reproducible, and generalizable results using large mega-data. One important initiative involves pooling existing datasets to support manuscript collaborations. The first 3 such projects focus on cross-cultural comparisons of the following irritability-related topics: boundaries of normative behavior; association with suicidality and self-harm; and informant effects. Another ongoing effort involves conceptualization of irritability across cultures. Other efforts include promoting projects of primary data collection using qualitative and quantitative methods, harmonization across measures, and facilitating/supporting community-based participatory research and engagement.

Discussion: C3I is an innovative, collaborative research structure to build a robust, reproducible, and generalizable evidence base on irritability and its characteristics, including sociocultural influences. This evidence base will facilitate recognition and assessment of irritability and, ultimately, inform development of effective, culturally informed prevention and intervention to benefit the largest possible number of youth and their families.

Keywords: consortium; cross-cultural research; culture; international network; irritability.

Figure 1

Countries From Which Consortium Members (N = 145) Originate, in a World Map (A) and a Pie Chart (B)

Figure 2

Distribution of the Origin of Datasets (N = 34) That Consortium Members Indicated Interests in Sharing

Figure 3

Irritability-Related Constructs (A) and Measures (B) in the Datasets (N = 34) That Consortium Members Indicated Interest in Sharing Note:ADHD = attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; ARI = Affective Reactivity Index; BITe = Brief Irritability Test; CAPA = Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment; CAST-IRR = Concise Associated Symptom Tracking—Irritability; CBCL = Child Behavior Checklist; DAWBA = Development and Well-Being Assessment; KSADS = Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders; MAP-DB = Multidimensional Assessment of Preschool Disruptive Behavior; ODD = oppositional defiant disorder; PAPA = Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment.

Figure 4

C3I Current Structure and Primary Function of Each Group Note:C3I = Cross-Cultural Consortium on Irritability; CBPR = community-based participatory research.