An Investigation of Relational Risk and Promotive Factors Associated with Adolescent Female Aggression

The relationship between dietary patterns and aggressive behavior in adolescent girls: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

There are few studies about the relationship between dietary patterns and aggression. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the main dietary patterns and aggression scores among adolescent girls in Iran.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 670 adolescent girls. The 168-item self-administered Semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire was used to evaluate dietary intake and to identify major dietary patterns, while factor analysis was applied. Aggression was evaluated by the validated Persian version of the Buss-Perry questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed by crude and adjusted models.

RESULTS

Three main dietary patterns including healthy, fast food, and Western were identified. A significant positive association was found between more adherence to Western dietary pattern and the presence of a high aggression score (OR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.32-3.05, p-_{trend =} .001); even after adjustment for potential confounders, these findings were significant.

CONCLUSION

Although Western dietary patterns were associated with increased aggression risk, there was no significant relationship between healthy and fast food dietary patterns and the prevalence of a high aggression score. Further studies, particularly longitudinal intervention studies, are required to clarify this relationship.

Cooperation with Teachers as a Mediator of the Relationship between Family Conflict and Children's Psychological Difficulties

Parent-child conflict can have a series of negative consequences concerning youth emotional and behavioral development. The link between family conflict and children's externalizing symptoms is well established, whereas the association with internalizing symptoms is less explored. Within the school context, children are engaged in other meaningful relationships (i.e., with teachers and peers) which contribute to their growth. This cross-sectional study aimed at understanding whether a cooperative behavior with the teachers is able to mediate the association between parent-child conflict and children's psychopathological symptoms. We recruited 319 (150 boys) school-aged children (M = 11.3 years; SD = 1.8 years) and their parents and teachers. Children self-reported on their internalizing symptoms, whereas parents completed a questionnaire concerning their relationship with the child, and teachers rated children's behavior and internalizing/externalizing symptoms. Analyses conducted through Hayes' PROCESS tool showed that cooperation with the teacher partially mediated the association between parent-child conflict and child-reported depressive symptoms. Notably, cooperative behavior fully mediated the link between parent-child conflict and children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms reported by teachers. Difficulties exhibited at school partly derive from a conflictual home environment. Our findings showed that such problems can be reduced thanks to a cooperative relationship with the teacher.

Conduct problems among children in low-income, urban neighborhoods: A developmental psychopathology- and RDoC-informed approach

Conduct problems are associated with numerous negative long-term psychosocial sequelae and are among the most frequent referrals for children's mental health services. Youth residing in low-income, urban communities are at increased risk for conduct problems, but not all youth in these environments develop conduct problems, suggesting heterogeneity in risk and resilience processes and developmental pathways. The present study used a developmental psychopathology- and Research Domain Criteria (RDoC)-informed approach for conceptualizing risk and resilience for conduct problems among children from low-income, urban neighborhoods. Participants were 104 children (M = 9.93 ± 1.22 years; 50% male; 96% African American, 4% Latinx). We assessed four constructs reflecting cognitive and neurobiological processes associated with conduct problems using multiple levels of analysis and informants: autonomic nervous system reactivity, limbic system/orbitofrontal cortical functioning, dorsolateral prefrontal cortical functioning, and conduct problems. Latent profile analysis identified four profiles: typically developing (TD, n = 34); teacher-reported conduct problems (TCP, n = 14); emotion processing (EP, n = 27); and emotion expression recognition (EER, n = 29). External validation analyses demonstrated that profiles differed on various indices of conduct problems in expected ways. The EP profile exhibited lower levels of emotional lability and callous–unemotional behaviors, and higher levels of prosocial behavior. The TD profile demonstrated elevated emotional lability. Implications for etiological and intervention models are presented.

Community Violence Exposure and Youth Aggression: The Moderating Role of Working Memory

Community violence exposure (CVE) is associated with aggression among youth, particularly those who reside in low-income, urban neighborhoods. However, not all youth who experience CVE exhibit aggression. Working memory (WM) difficulties may interfere with attributions or retrieval of nonaggressive responses, suggesting that individual differences in WM may contribute to proactive and/or reactive aggression among youth who experience CVE. Participants were 104 low-income, urban youth (M = 9.92 ± 1.22 years old; 50.5% male; 95% African American). Youth reported on frequency of direct victimization and witnessing of violence in the community and completed two WM tasks. Teachers reported on youth proactive and reactive aggression. WM moderated the relation between direct victimization and proactive and reactive aggression, and between witnessing violence and reactive aggression. Among youth reporting less frequent victimization and witnessing, lower WM was associated with higher levels of proactive and reactive aggression. Among youth reporting more frequent direct victimization, lower WM was associated with higher levels of proactive aggression. Proactive and reactive aggression levels were similar among youth reporting more frequent witnessing regardless of WM levels. WM represents a potential target for early identification and intervention efforts to reduce reactive and proactive aggression among low-income, urban youth who are at elevated risk for CVE.

The relationship between history of dietary nutrients intakes and incidence of aggressive behavior in adolescent girls: A case-control study

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Aggressive behavior (AB) progress to a major concern among adolescents. The present study is designed to assess possible association between dietary intake of macronutrient, some micronutrient, cholesterol, and antioxidants with AB in adolescent girls, from age 9-13 years old.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the case-control study, a total 212 primary school girls between 9 and 13 years of age were divided into two groups (106 with AB and 106 healthy) base on aggression score of the Buss-Perry questionnaire. A 147-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to evaluate nutritional intake of subjects. Independent t-test and Mann-Whitney test was used to compare quantitative variables between the two groups according to the normality of data distribution. Chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables between case and control groups. Logistic regression models were used to assess possible association of nutrients intake with AB.

RESULTS

The consumption of more simple carbohydrate [odds ratios (OR): 14.53, confidence interval (CI): (13.23, 17.56)] total fat [OR: 13.31, CI: (8.50, 16.47)], SFAs [OR: 11.831, CI: (8.94, 15.36)], TFAs [OR: 9.10, CI: (6.87, 10.12)], and caffeine [OR: 16.26, CI: (14.53, 17.88)] significantly increase the occurrence of aggressive behaviors. Conversely, intake of fiber [OR: 0.997, CI: (0.012, 0.999)], W3 [OR: 0.991, CI: (0.040, 0.999)], and vitamin K [OR: 0.994, CI: (0.990, 0.999)] were marginal associated with reduced odds of AB.

CONCLUSIONS

The intake of caffeine, simple carbohydrate, total fat, SFAs, TFAs, could increase the occurrence of AB.

A preliminary examination of substance use risk among metropolitan and non-metropolitan girls involved in the juvenile justice system

Research is limited on geographic differences in substance use risk factors among juvenile justice-involved girls. This secondary data analysis from one state juvenile justice system, collected as part of the NIH/NIDA funded JJTRIALS cooperative agreement, assessed criminogenic needs at intake for 160 girls from metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties. Although girls from different geographic areas did not differ significantly on key variables of interest, including substance use risk and related criminality variables, findings suggest that substance use risk is related to criminal history, substance-related offenses, and relationship problems among justice-involved girls. Implications include gender-specific juvenile justice programming and research.

Dietary intake of carotenoids and fiber is inversely associated with aggression score in adolescent girls

BACKGROUND

Violence and aggression are considered to be important public health issues. There is limited data on the association between dietary intake and aggression score.

AIM

We aimed to examine the relationship between the dietary intake and aggressive behavior in Iranian adolescent girls.

METHODS

The study was carried out among 670 girls aged 12-18 years. A valid and reliable food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) containing 147 food items was used to estimate dietary intake of the study participants. Aggression score was determined using a validated Persian version of the Buss-Perry questionnaire. We analyzed our data using crude and adjusted models.

RESULTS

Participants in the fourth quartile of aggression score had significantly higher energy intake compared with those in the first quartile (2808±949 vs 2629±819, p-trend = 0.01). Dietary intakes of soluble fiber (0.42±0.37 vs 0.35±0.29, p = 0.03) and insoluble fiber (2.17±1.65 vs 1.82±1.36, p = 0.02) were significantly higher in the first quartile than in the fourth quartile. In addition, the strongest negative correlations were found between aggression score and dietary soluble fiber (p = 0.003) and insoluble fiber intake (p = 0.001). Moreover, aggression score was negatively correlated with dietary α-carotene (p = 0.02) and β-carotene (p = 0.04) intake. These associations remained significant even after adjustment for potential confounders.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicated that dietary intakes of fiber, α-carotene, and β-carotene were inversely associated with aggression score. Moreover, a significant positive association was observed between energy intake and aggression score in adolescent girls.