'It's more than just irritability': perspectives and experiences of irritability among people affected by Huntington's disease.
Saved in:
| Title: | 'It's more than just irritability': perspectives and experiences of irritability among people affected by Huntington's disease. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Tindall, Tierney (AUTHOR), Dale, Maria (AUTHOR), Simpson, Jane (AUTHOR), Gunn, Sarah (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Psychology & Health. May2026, Vol. 41 Issue 5, p674-695. 22p. |
| Subjects: | Behavior disorders, Qualitative research, Interviewing, Mental illness, Statistical sampling, Affective disorders, Emotions, Psychological adaptation, Neurodegeneration, Age distribution, Thematic analysis, Race, Psychological stress, Quality of life, Research methodology, Interpersonal relations, Huntington disease, Patients' attitudes, Self-perception, Employment, Psychosocial factors |
| Abstract: | Objective: Irritability has been reported as a common psychological co-occurrence with Huntington's disease (HD). Irritability associated with HD is variously attributed to neurological changes, an understandable response to increasing difficulties with cognition and communication, or a multifactorial combination of the two or more causes. To improve our understanding, we aimed to explore perspectives and lived experiences of irritability among individuals affected by HD. Methods and measures: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants (50% female) who were gene-positive for HD. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the resultant transcripts. Results: Three themes were generated: 'Navigating the complex multifactorial causes of irritability', which reflected participants' perceptions of causes and amplifiers of irritability; 'The tyranny of irritability', which explored how irritability was perceived as powerful and oppressive; and 'Ongoing efforts to resist irritability', which described how participants endeavoured to address irritability. Conclusion: Participants appeared to make sense of irritability as a biopsychosocial experience with multifactorial origins, suggesting the role of attribution theory in understanding their search for meanings and attempts at resistance. Our findings indicate the need to develop meaningful psychological interventions and educational materials to support individuals and their loved ones to understand and address feelings of irritability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Psychology & Health is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Login for full access.
|
|
| Abstract: | Objective: Irritability has been reported as a common psychological co-occurrence with Huntington's disease (HD). Irritability associated with HD is variously attributed to neurological changes, an understandable response to increasing difficulties with cognition and communication, or a multifactorial combination of the two or more causes. To improve our understanding, we aimed to explore perspectives and lived experiences of irritability among individuals affected by HD. Methods and measures: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants (50% female) who were gene-positive for HD. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the resultant transcripts. Results: Three themes were generated: 'Navigating the complex multifactorial causes of irritability', which reflected participants' perceptions of causes and amplifiers of irritability; 'The tyranny of irritability', which explored how irritability was perceived as powerful and oppressive; and 'Ongoing efforts to resist irritability', which described how participants endeavoured to address irritability. Conclusion: Participants appeared to make sense of irritability as a biopsychosocial experience with multifactorial origins, suggesting the role of attribution theory in understanding their search for meanings and attempts at resistance. Our findings indicate the need to develop meaningful psychological interventions and educational materials to support individuals and their loved ones to understand and address feelings of irritability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 08870446 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/08870446.2025.2474010 |
