Intermittent Explosive Disorder 467
than 30 minutes and commonly occur in respon se to a minor provocation by a close intimate
or associate. Individuals with intermittent ex plosive disorder often have less severe epi-
sodes of verbal and/or nondamaging, nondestruc tive, or noninjurious physical assault (Cri-
terion A1) in between more severe destructive/ assaultive episodes (Cri terion A2). Criterion
A1 defines frequent (i.e., twice weekly, on aver age, for a period of 3 months) aggressive out-
bursts characterized by  temper tantrums, tirades, verbal  arguments or fights, or assault
without damage to objects or without injury to animals or other individuals. Criterion A2
defines infrequent (i.e., three in a 1-year pe riod) impulsive aggressi ve outbursts character-
ized by damaging or destroying an object, regardless of its tangible value, or by assaulting/
striking or otherwise causing physical injury to an animal or to another individual. Regard-
less of the nature of the impulsive aggressive outburst, the core feature of intermittent
explosive disorder is failure to control impulsiv e aggressive behavior in  response to subjec-
tively experienced provocation (i.e., psychosocial  stressor) that would not typically result in
an aggressive outburst (Criterion B). The aggressive outbursts are generally impulsive and/
or anger-based, rather than premeditated or instrumental (Criterion C) and are associated
with significant distress or impairment in psyc hosocial function (Cri terion D). A diagnosis
of intermittent explosive disorder should not be given to individuals younger than 6 years,
or the equivalent developmental level (Criterion  E), or to individual s whose aggressive out-