Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42861080›Full record

ReviewJournal of mood and anxiety disorders2026

Associations and mechanisms between childhood adversity and irritability or trait anger across the lifespan: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Isabella G Spaulding, Ruiyu Yang, Grace Cotter, Alexa Duran, Grace Kathman, Murray B Stein, Charles T Taylor, Jillian Lee Wiggins

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of mood and anxiety disorders, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Isabella G SpauldingSan Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, 6363 Alvarado Ct., San Diego, CA, 92120, USA.
Ruiyu YangSan Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, 6363 Alvarado Ct., San Diego, CA, 92120, USA.
Grace CotterSan Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, 6363 Alvarado Ct., San Diego, CA, 92120, USA.
Alexa DuranDepartment of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado Ct. Suite 250, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA.
Grace KathmanDepartment of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado Ct. Suite 250, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA.
Murray B SteinSan Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, 6363 Alvarado Ct., San Diego, CA, 92120, USA.
Charles T TaylorSan Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, 6363 Alvarado Ct., San Diego, CA, 92120, USA.
Jillian Lee WigginsSan Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, 6363 Alvarado Ct., San Diego, CA, 92120, USA.

Funding

Neural mechanisms of risk and resilience in early childhood irritability (Diversity Supplement - E. Peterson)R01MH121385 · NIMH · SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY · PI DOUGHERTY, LEA R, WIGGINS, JILLIAN LEE · 2020 to 2024
$3.7M
Targeting Dopamine-Mediated Social Reward Sensitivity to Remediate Social DisconnectionR61MH129380 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI SCHNEIER, FRANKLIN R., TAYLOR, CHARLES · 2023 to 2025
$2.8M
Neural mechanisms of risk for irritability across the transition to adolescenceR01MH122487 · NIMH · SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY · PI DOUGHERTY, LEA R, WIGGINS, JILLIAN LEE · 2021 to 2025
$1.8M
NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH121385NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH122487NIMH NIH HHS R61 MH129380
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Childhood adversity (CA) is a robust predictor of psychopathology later in life and has been linked to numerous transdiagnostic symptom presentations. One such presentation, irritability, has garnered increasing interest given its presence across internalizing and externalizing disorders and associations with greater functional impairment. Preliminary work has demonstrated associations between CA and irritability; however, no systematic review or meta-analysis has examined these associations or the mechanisms by which these constructs are connected. Methods: PubMed, PsycInfo, and Web of Science were searched from inception to October 2025, for empirical English articles published in peer-reviewed journals that included measures of CA and irritability (or trait anger, a closely related construct) and examined their statistical relationship. All procedures used in this review were consistent with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results: A total of 1839 abstracts were screened, resulting in 208 articles reviewed and 109 articles ultimately included. Random-effects meta-analysis identified a positive relationship between CA and irritability or trait anger in association (pooled association Conclusions: Findings support robust associations between early adversity and irritability or trait anger across the lifespan. Limitations and suggestions for future empirical studies are discussed.

Indexed as

Childhood adversityIrritabilityLifespanSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID42861080
PMCPMC13653991

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.