Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence

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Persons with this disorder experience episodes of aggressive or violent behavior that result in assault of a person or animal or the destruction of property. These intense episodes occur spontaneously, not in response to provocation or threat, and individuals often express regret as soon as the episode ends.

Usually he or she does not exhibit aggressive tendencies between episodes. This disorder can appear at any age, but is more common in adolescence through the 20s, and is more common in males. This disorder is believed to be rare, and reliable statistics on the frequency of occurrence are not available.

See Impulse Control Disorders.

Further Reading

Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood & Adolescence. Gale Research, 1998.