Mission & History

The mission of the C3I is to bring together researchers and clinicians interested in studying variation and commonalities across cultures (both between and within countries) in the risk factors, correlates, assessment, experience, parental responses to, and outcomes of irritability, in addition to other relevant topics. More broadly, the goal of the Consortium is to provide a collaborative structure for researchers interested in cross-cultural aspects of irritability. To do this, we will facilitate discussion, provide a forum for developing joint research projects and grant applications, establish working groups focused on relevant topics, and organize meetings.

The members of the C3I state that the following values will guide all our activities.

1. Open participation, transparency, integrity, and fairness
2. High-quality scientific work
3. Providing training and mentorship opportunities
4. Engagement of community members in the design, conduct, and dissemination of the research
5. Open science practices

The C3I will encourage both secondary analyses that pool existing datasets and the development of research projects with primary data collection. It is expected that secondary analyses will yield publications that provide important data to the scientific community while also demonstrating feasibility for grant applications.

A Consortium Steering Committee will play a coordinating role in both primary and secondary projects by reviewing and approving proposals. This will ensure that the projects of participating researchers are complementary and open to all interested members of the consortium willing to contribute. It will also ensure that there is efficient communication within the C3I about ongoing projects. The Steering Committee will also articulate publication guidelines to ensure consistency across projects.

In addition to providing a framework for secondary analysis of existing data sets, the C3I will play a similar role in the development of research projects involving primary data collection. Working groups around specific topics and meetings will focus on designing projects and obtaining funding. While the exact nature of these projects will depend on the interests of the members, we encourage the use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods.

The idea of a cross-cultural consortium or international research network on irritability originated from discussions about the limited research into cultural influences on irritability among Drs. Ellen Leibenluft, Wan-Ling Tseng, and Melissa Brotman. Following a few email exchanges and zoom meetings to gauge interests from several investigators and researchers, the C3I was launched in May 2022. Since its inception, the C3I has attracted over 140 researchers from 24 countries.