Irritability is a pervasive yet underreported and underrecognized feature of distress during the perinatal period. Despite historically being overshadowed by co-occurring symptoms of depressed and anxious mood, perinatal irritability can be highly distressing to affected individuals and disrupt daily functioning, particularly within the interpersonal domain. In the current paper, we review current research on the biopsychosocial determinants of irritable mood during the perinatal period and provide recommendations for assessment and intervention. We highlight the importance of assessing the triggers and behavioral outputs of irritability, and discuss how providers can attend to an individual’s environment and cultural context in case conceptualization and the delivery of clinical services.
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