Faced with a possible overdiagnosis of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents, a new diagnosis has been created in the mental illness classification system. This new diagnosis is named Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder.

We propose to carry out a bibliographic review on the new diagnostic category of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder.

We present the clinical case of a 10-year-old boy showing severe irritability symptoms.

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder refers to persistent irritability and frequent episodes of extreme behavioral disturbance in children up to 12 years of age. Onset must occur before 10 years of age and the diagnosis should not be applied to children under 6 years of age. The clinical course of these patients in adolescence and adulthood tends towards unipolar depressive disorders or anxiety disorders rather than bipolar disorders.

The new diagnosis of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder allows us to differentiate between the classic episodic presentations of mania from the non-episodic ones of severe irritability.

No significant relationships.

Little is known about the predictive validity of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD). This longitudinal, community-based study examined associations of DMDD at the age of 6 years with psychiatric disorders, functional impairment, peer functioning and service use at the age of 9 years.

A total of 473 children were assessed at the ages of 6 and 9 years. Child psychopathology and functional impairment were assessed at the age of 6 years with the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment with parents and at the age of 9 years with the Kiddie-Schedule of Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS) with parents and children. At the age of 9 years, mothers, fathers and youth completed the Child Depression Inventory (CDI) and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders, and teachers and K-SADS interviewers completed measures of peer functioning. Significant demographic covariates were included in all models.

DMDD at the age of 6 years predicted a current diagnosis of DMDD at the age of 9 years. DMDD at the age of 6 years also predicted current and lifetime depressive disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at the age of 9 years, after controlling for all age 6 years psychiatric disorders. In addition, DMDD predicted depressive, ADHD and disruptive behavior disorder symptoms on the K-SADS, and maternal and paternal reports of depressive symptoms on the CDI, after controlling for the corresponding symptom scale at the age of 6 years. Last, DMDD at the age of 6 years predicted greater functional impairment, peer problems and educational support service use at the age of 9 years, after controlling for all psychiatric disorders at the age of 6 years.

Children with DMDD are at high risk for impaired functioning across childhood, and this risk is not accounted for by co-morbid conditions.

In the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as well as in most armies throughout the world, the leading cause of death during peace-time is suicide. This study examines emotional regulation of mental pain as a contributor to suicidal ideation in soldiers.

One hundred sixty-eight IDF soldiers (aged 18–21 years, 59% males) completed the following self-report questionnaires: Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI); Orbach & Mikulincer Mental Pain Scale (OMMP); and Emotional Regulation of Mental Pain questionnaire. Participants were divided into 3 groups: soldiers who attempted suicide (AS group, n = 58), soldiers under treatment by a mental health professional and reporting no suicidal behavior (PT group, n = 58), and controls (C group, n = 50).

Suicide ideation, mental pain, and low emotional regulation were significantly higher in the suicidal group as compared to the two other groups (P < 0.001). Mental pain was significantly related to more suicide ideation in soldiers with low ability to regulate mental pain (P < .001 for the interaction).

Emotional regulation of mental pain moderates the link between mental pain and suicide ideation. Soldiers with high mental pain and low regulation of mental pain exhibited higher suicidal ideation. These findings may assist in planning prevention programs in the army and similar settings.

Despite the inclusion of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) in DSM-5, little empirical data exist on the disorder. We estimated rates, co-morbidity, correlates and early childhood predictors of DMDD in a community sample of 6-year-olds.

DMDD was assessed in 6-year-old children (n = 462) using a parent-reported structured clinical interview. Age 6 years correlates and age 3 years predictors were drawn from six domains: demographics; child psychopathology, functioning, and temperament; parental psychopathology; and the psychosocial environment.

The 3-month prevalence rate for DMDD was 8.2% (n = 38). DMDD occurred with an emotional or behavioral disorder in 60.5% of these children. At age 6 years, concurrent bivariate analyses revealed associations between DMDD and depression, oppositional defiant disorder, the Child Behavior Checklist – Dysregulation Profile, functional impairment, poorer peer functioning, child temperament (higher surgency and negative emotional intensity and lower effortful control), and lower parental support and marital satisfaction. The age 3 years predictors of DMDD at age 6 years included child attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, the Child Behavior Checklist – Dysregulation Profile, poorer peer functioning, child temperament (higher child surgency and negative emotional intensity and lower effortful control), parental lifetime substance use disorder and higher parental hostility.

A number of children met DSM-5 criteria for DMDD, and the diagnosis was associated with numerous concurrent and predictive indicators of emotional and behavioral dysregulation and poor functioning.