Treatment Recommendation for the Use of Antipsychotics for Aggressive Youth (TRAAY) Part I: A Review

• NCJ Number: 199049
• Journal: Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Volume: 42 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2003 Pages: 132-144
• Author(s): Sara B. Schur B.A.; Lin Sikich M.D.; Robert L. Findling M.D.; Richard P. Malone M.D.; M. Lynn Crismon Phm.D; Albert Derivan M.D.; James C. MacIntyre, II M.D.; Elizabeth Pappadopulos Ph.D.; Laurence Greenhill M.D.; Nina Schooler Ph.D.; Peter S. Jensen M.D.; Kimberly Van Orden B.A.
• Editor(s): Mina K. Dulcan M.D.
• Date Published: February 2003
• Length: 13 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article reviews the evidence for the safety and efficacy of nonpharmacological and pharmacological treatments for aggression in children and adolescents.

Abstract

For this study, searches were conducted for double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of atypical antipsychotics for aggression. In addition a literature search was conducted on the use of other pharmacological agents and psychosocial interventions for aggression, for the period of 1990 to the present. Case reports and adult literature concerning the safety of atypical antipsychotics were used where controlled data for youth were lacking, as it was found that controlled data on the treatment of aggression in youth was scarce. Psychosocial interventions may be effective alone or in combination with pharmacological treatments, and psychotropic agents have been shown to have limited efficacy in reducing aggression. Antipsychotics, particularly the atypical antipsychotics, show substantial success in the treatment of aggression in selected pediatric populations. Atypical antipsychotics are generally associated with fewer extrapyramidal symptoms than are typical antipsychotics. In conclusion, it was found that psychosocial interventions and atypical antipsychotics are promising treatments for aggressive youth. It is recommended that double-blind studies be conducted to examine the safety and efficacy of atypical antipsychotics compared to each other and to medications from other classes, the efficacy of specific medications for different subtypes of aggression, combining various psychotropic medications, optimal dosages, and long-term safety. A list of source references is provided.