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Thomson ND, Kjærvik SL, Blondell VJ, Hazlett LE. The Interplay between Fear Reactivity and Callous-Unemotional Traits Predicting Reactive and Proactive Aggression. Children (Basel) 2024; 11:379. [PMID: 38671596 DOI: 10.3390/children11040379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Research has indicated that youths with CU traits are fearless, and this fearlessness plays a bidirectional role in both the development of CU traits and engagement in aggressive behavior. However, research specifically testing the role of fear in the association between CU traits and aggression is scarce. The goal of the current study was to test if fear reactivity, both conscious (self-report) and automatic (skin conductance reactivity; SCR), moderated the association between CU traits and aggression subtypes (reactive and proactive aggression). Participants included 161 adolescents (Mage = 15 years) diagnosed with conduct disorder. CU traits were assessed using the self-report Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits. Conscious and automatic fear reactivity were measured during a virtual reality rollercoaster using the Self-Assessment Manikin and skin conductance reactivity (SCR), respectively. Hierarchical regressions found that high fear reactivity on SCR moderated the link between CU traits and reactive aggression, while feeling more excited during fear induction moderated the link between CU traits and proactive aggression. Overall, a possible explanation of our divergent findings between conscious and automatic fear may be the difference between the instinctual biological response to threat versus the cognitive and emotional appraisal and experience of threat. Implications for intervention strategies targeting emotional recognition and regulation in reducing aggression in CD populations are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas D Thomson
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
- Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Sophie L Kjærvik
- Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Victoria J Blondell
- Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Laura E Hazlett
- Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
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2
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Hou Y, Li X, Xia LX. Common Mechanisms Underlying the Effect of Angry Rumination on Reactive and Proactive Aggression: A Moderated Mediation Model. J Interpers Violence 2024; 39:1035-1057. [PMID: 37750544 DOI: 10.1177/08862605231201819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
The different influencing factors and mechanisms of the two basic kinds of aggression (i.e., reactive and proactive aggression) are salient. However, they also have common influencing factors and mechanisms, which are ignored to some extent. In addition, discovering the common mechanisms is conducive to further revealing the nature and law of aggression. To address these issues, this study tested a relational model incorporating angry rumination, moral disengagement, harm aversion, reactive aggression, and proactive aggression from the perspective of aggressive motivation. A total of 1,186 undergraduate students from eight universities were recruited. The results showed that angry rumination was significantly associated with reactive and proactive aggression. Importantly, moral disengagement acted as a common mediator, and harm aversion acted as a common moderator in the effect of angry rumination on reactive and proactive aggression. Specifically, the enhancement effects of low levels of harm aversion on these relationships are due to that it could promote the effects of angry rumination on the common mediator of moral disengagement. An aggressive motivation perspective was developed to comprehensively explain the common mediating and moderating effects. The present study contributes to a greater understanding of the mechanisms of reactive and proactive aggression and how aggressive motivations shape the model of aggressive behavior. These findings support and extend current aggression theories, especially aggression motivation theories. This study could provide insights for targeted aggression prevention interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueyi Hou
- Research Center of Psychology and Social Development, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing , China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiong Li
- Research Center of Psychology and Social Development, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing , China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
| | - Ling-Xiang Xia
- Research Center of Psychology and Social Development, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing , China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
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Janković M, Van Boxtel G, Bogaerts S. Does sports participation affect the mediating role of impulsivity in the association between adverse childhood experiences and aggression? Front Psychol 2024; 14:1234910. [PMID: 38259561 PMCID: PMC10800594 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1234910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and self-reported aggression have often been associated, however, the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this association are not fully understood. In addition, less is known about potential factors that could serve as protection against the development of aggressive behavior. In this study, we investigated a moderated mediation model of sports participation and five impulsivity traits including positive and negative urgency, sensation seeking, and lack of premeditation and perseverance, in the association between ACEs and two forms of aggression. Methods and results The sample comprised 651 (68.5% females) individuals from a Dutch community ranging in age from 18 to 82 years (M = 34.08). Contrary to our expectations, sports participation did not affect the associations of ACEs, the five impulsivity traits, and reactive and proactive aggression, except the association between ACEs and lack of premeditation. Specifically, the detrimental effect of ACEs on the propensity to act without thinking, increases among individuals with lower levels of sports participation. In addition, it was also found that sports participation directly contributed to higher levels of sensation seeking. Finally, after controlling for sociodemographic variables, the positive association between ACEs and reactive aggression was significantly mediated by negative urgency, lack of perseverance, and lack of premeditation, while the positive association between ACEs and proactive aggression was significantly mediated by lack of premeditation and positive urgency. Conclusion The findings of this study add to the body of knowledge about the role of sports participation and impulsivity traits in the development of both forms of aggression, however, replication studies among multiple populations are needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Janković
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
- Fivoor Science and Treatment Innovation (FARID), Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Geert Van Boxtel
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
| | - Stefan Bogaerts
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
- Fivoor Science and Treatment Innovation (FARID), Rotterdam, Netherlands
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Guo Z, Hu Q, Chen J, Hong D, Huang Y, Lv J, Xu Y, Zhang R, Jiang S. The developmental characteristics of proactive and reactive aggression in late childhood: The effect of parental control. Aggress Behav 2024; 50:e22112. [PMID: 37672595 DOI: 10.1002/ab.22112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has confirmed that parental control is related to children's aggressive behavior. However, few studies have focused on proactive and reactive aggression to distinguish the different effects of parental psychological and behavioral control. Moreover, additional longitudinal evidence is needed to understand these links. In the current paper, a three-wave longitudinal study was conducted to examine the developmental characteristics of proactive and reactive aggression and the role of parental control in China. A total of 484 4th- and 7th-grade students participated at wave 1 (51.65% in 4th-grade, Mage = 11.66 ± 1.52 years), 465 students (52.04% in 4th-grade) at wave 2, and 447 children (51.90% in 4th-grade) at wave 3. The results showed that: (1) Proactive aggression in late childhood remained stable overall, while reactive aggression displayed a clear upward trend. (2) In proactive aggression, boys and girls had a consistent developmental trend. The initial level of boys was higher than that of girls. In reactive aggression, the growth rate was inversely associated with their initial level and the initial level of boys in 7th-grade was significantly higher than that of girls. (3) Both parental psychological and behavioral control positively predicted students' reactive aggression in 4th- and 7th-grade, whereas only parental behavioral control positively predicted proactive aggression in 7th-grade students, with no gender differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoming Guo
- Department of Applied Psychology, School of Psychiatry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Qian Hu
- Department of English, School of Foreign Languages, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Development Planning, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Defan Hong
- Department of Applied Psychology, School of Psychiatry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yingying Huang
- Department of Applied Psychology, School of Psychiatry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jing Lv
- Department of Applied Psychology, School of Psychiatry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yuan Xu
- Department of Applied Psychology, School of Psychiatry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Ruiping Zhang
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Suo Jiang
- Department of Applied Psychology, School of Psychiatry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province Zhejiang, Institute of Medical Humanities, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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da Silva BMS, Veiga G, Rieffe C, Endedijk HM, Güroğlu B. Do My Reactions Outweigh My Actions? The Relation between Reactive and Proactive Aggression with Peer Acceptance in Preschoolers. Children (Basel) 2023; 10:1532. [PMID: 37761493 PMCID: PMC10528464 DOI: 10.3390/children10091532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Aggressive behaviors negatively impact peer relations starting from an early age. However, not all aggressive acts have the same underlying motivations. Reactive aggression arises as a response to an antecedent behavior of someone else, whereas proactive aggression is initiated by the aggressor and is instrumental. In this study, we aim to understand the relation between reactive and proactive aggression and peer acceptance in preschoolers. Parents of 110 children aged between 3 and 6 years old rated their children's manifestation of reactive and proactive aggressive behaviors. To assess the children's peer acceptance score within their class, they completed a paired comparisons task. The outcomes confirmed that reactive aggression in particular is negatively related to peer acceptance at the preschool age. Our results provide insights for the needs and directions of future research and interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda M. S. da Silva
- Department of Educational and Developmental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, 2333 AK Leiden, The Netherlands; (C.R.); (B.G.)
- Departamento de Desporto e Saúde, Escola de Saúde e Desenvolvimento Humano, Universidade de Évora, 7004-516 Évora, Portugal;
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), Universidade de Évora, 7004-516 Évora, Portugal
| | - Guida Veiga
- Departamento de Desporto e Saúde, Escola de Saúde e Desenvolvimento Humano, Universidade de Évora, 7004-516 Évora, Portugal;
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), Universidade de Évora, 7004-516 Évora, Portugal
| | - Carolien Rieffe
- Department of Educational and Developmental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, 2333 AK Leiden, The Netherlands; (C.R.); (B.G.)
- Department of Human Media Interaction, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Twente, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Institute of Education, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Hinke M. Endedijk
- Department of Educational Sciences, Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, 2333 AK Leiden, The Netherlands;
| | - Berna Güroğlu
- Department of Educational and Developmental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, 2333 AK Leiden, The Netherlands; (C.R.); (B.G.)
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6
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Ren P, Wang Y, Liang Y, Li S, Wang Q. Bidirectional relationship between bullying victimization and functions of aggression in adolescents: The mediating effect of teacher justice. J Adolesc 2023. [PMID: 37244648 DOI: 10.1002/jad.12198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Bullying victimization and aggression are frequent phenomena among adolescents and have been linked to various mental health problems. Although the correlation between bullying victimization and aggression is well-documented, the direction between the two has been debated. Moreover, the underlying mechanism through which victimization influences aggression or vice versa has gained little attention. The current study used data across two-time points to address this gap and explore the reciprocal relationships between victimization and aggression. The mediating role of teacher justice and related gender differences were also examined. METHODS A total of 2462 Chinese adolescents (50.9% boys; Mage = 13.95 years, SD = 0.60) completed measures on two occasions in 1 year with 6-month assessment intervals. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the longitudinal relations among the variables. RESULTS Results found that bullying victimization significantly and positively predicted both reactive and proactive aggression over time among the total sample. Reactive aggression significantly positively predicted victimization, while proactive aggression negatively predicted victimization in boys. Furthermore, teacher justice mediated the relationships between victimization and both functions of aggression. Mediation was gender-specific, with a significant mediating effect on girls. CONCLUSIONS The results reveal the violent cycle of bullying victimization and aggression and underscore the role of teacher justice in this process. These findings have important implications for targeted interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Ren
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiting Liang
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Simeng Li
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Quanquan Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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Vaughan EP, Speck JS, Frick PJ, Walker TM, Robertson EL, Ray JV, Wall Myers TD, Thornton LC, Steinberg L, Cauffman E. Proactive and reactive aggression: Developmental trajectories and longitudinal associations with callous-unemotional traits, impulsivity, and internalizing emotions. Dev Psychopathol 2023:1-9. [PMID: 37009680 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579423000317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
Research on proactive and reactive aggression has identified covariates unique to each function of aggression, but hypothesized correlates have often not been tested with consideration of developmental changes in or the overlap between the types of aggression. The present study examines the unique developmental trajectories of proactive and reactive aggression over adolescence and young adulthood and tests these trajectories' associations with key covariates: callous-unemotional (CU) traits, impulsivity, and internalizing emotions. In a sample of 1,211 justice-involved males (ages 15-22), quadratic growth models (i.e., intercepts, linear slopes, and quadratic slopes) of each type of aggression were regressed onto quadratic growth models of the covariates while controlling for the other type of aggression. After accounting for the level of reactive aggression, the level of proactive aggression was predicted by the level of CU traits. However, change in proactive aggression over time was not related to the change in any covariates. After accounting for proactive aggression, reactive aggression was predicted by impulsivity, both at the initial level and in change over time. Results support that proactive and reactive aggression are unique constructs with separate developmental trajectories and distinct covariates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin P Vaughan
- Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, 236 Audubon Hall, Baton Rouge, LA70803, USA
| | - Julianne S Speck
- Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, 236 Audubon Hall, Baton Rouge, LA70803, USA
| | - Paul J Frick
- Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, 236 Audubon Hall, Baton Rouge, LA70803, USA
| | - Toni M Walker
- Harris County Juvenile Probation Department, Houston, USA
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8
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Sarkar A, Wrangham RW. Evolutionary and neuroendocrine foundations of human aggression. Trends Cogn Sci 2023; 27:468-493. [PMID: 37003880 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Humans present a behavioural paradox: they are peaceful in many circumstances, but they are also violent and kill conspecifics at high rates. We describe a social evolutionary theory to resolve this paradox. The theory interprets human aggression as a combination of low propensities for reactive aggression and coercive behaviour and high propensities for some forms of proactive aggression (especially coalitionary proactive aggression). These tendencies are associated with the evolution of groupishness, self-domestication, and social norms. This human aggression profile is expected to demand substantial plasticity in the evolved biological mechanisms responsible for aggression. We discuss the contributions of various social signalling molecules (testosterone, cortisol, oxytocin, vasopressin, serotonin, and dopamine) as the neuroendocrine foundation conferring such plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amar Sarkar
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Richard W Wrangham
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Li W, Yang J, Gao L, Wang X. Childhood Maltreatment and Adolescents' Aggression: A Moderated Mediation Model of Callous-Unemotional Traits and Friendship Quality. Child Maltreat 2022; 27:683-692. [PMID: 34730029 DOI: 10.1177/10775595211046550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A growing body of research has documented that childhood maltreatment is associated with increased risk of child aggression. However, little is known about the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying the relationships between childhood maltreatment and reactive and proactive functions of aggression. Therefore, the present study examined whether callous-unemotional traits mediated the relationships between childhood maltreatment and two subtypes of aggression and whether these mediating processes were moderated by friendship quality. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2407 adolescents between 11 and 16 years (M age = 12.75, SD = .58) in Shanxi province, China. Participants filled out questionnaires regarding childhood maltreatment, callous-unemotional traits, aggression, and friendship quality. The results indicated that childhood maltreatment was significantly and positively associated with proactive and reactive aggression, and these relationships were partially mediated by callous-unemotional traits after controlling for demographic variables. Friendship quality moderated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and proactive aggression as well as callous-unemotional traits and proactive aggression. These relationships became weaker for adolescents with high levels of friendship quality. Friendship quality did not moderate the effects of childhood maltreatment and callous-unemotional traits on reactive aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqing Li
- School of Educational Science, 12441Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jiping Yang
- School of Educational Science, 12441Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Ling Gao
- School of Educational Science, 12441Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Xingchao Wang
- School of Educational Science, 12441Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
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Heynen E, Van der Helm P, Stams GJ, Roest J. Measuring Aggression in German Youth Prison-A Validation of the German Reactive- Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ) in a Sample of Incarcerated Juvenile Offenders. Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol 2022; 66:1475-1486. [PMID: 34109834 PMCID: PMC9452854 DOI: 10.1177/0306624x211023923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to examine construct validity and reliability of the German reactive proactive aggression questionnaire (RPQ) in a sample of delinquent boys (N = 156). A confirmatory factor analysis with a two-factor model of reactive and proactive aggression showed a good fit to the data. The factor structure of the original RPQ could be fully replicated in the German translation, and Cronbach's alphas were good for both subscales. Concurrent validity of the RPQ was demonstrated by significant correlations with the subscales of the inventory of callous unemotional traits. In future studies, the German RPQ can be used to assess reactive and proactive aggression in judicial and forensic psychiatric care in Germany. The present findings also provide support for the use of the RPQ in cross-cultural comparisons.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peer Van der Helm
- Hogeschool Leiden, South Holland, The Netherlands
- Universiteit van Amsterdam, Holland, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jesse Roest
- Hogeschool Leiden, South Holland, The Netherlands
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Pederson CA, Griffith RL, Nowalis S, Fite PJ. Creating profiles of juvenile offenders using functions of aggression and callous-unemotional traits: relations to crime type. Psychiatr Psychol Law 2022; 30:713-736. [PMID: 37744648 PMCID: PMC10512917 DOI: 10.1080/13218719.2022.2116609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
A rich line of criminological theories and research has suggested that individual characteristics may be important to predicting criminal activity. However, there is limited research examining how individual characteristics may be related to the type of crime committed (e.g. violent, sex, drug). To provide guidance to these questions, the current set of two studies used latent profile analysis to identify groups of offenders based on individual factors (i.e. proactive and reactive aggression, and callous-unemotional traits), chosen for their interrelatedness and their established associations with crime, and examined whether these groups relate to type, severity or the number of crimes committed across two studies. In both studies, four groups of offenders were identified, but these groups were not associated with offending behaviors or patterns. Findings and implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey A. Pederson
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics Adolescent, Behavioral Health Research Program, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | | | - Sarah Nowalis
- Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA
| | - Paula J. Fite
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
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12
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Speyer LG, Eisner M, Ribeaud D, Luciano M, Auyeung B, Murray AL. A symptom level perspective on reactive and proactive aggressive behaviours and ADHD symptoms in childhood. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2022; 63:1017-1026. [PMID: 34874058 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent childhood disorders, affecting around 3.4% of children worldwide. A common and impairing correlate of ADHD is aggressive behaviour. ADHD symptoms and aggression are both heterogeneous and it has been speculated that certain symptoms of ADHD might be more important in aggressive behaviours of different types than others. This study uses a symptom-level analysis to investigate the concurrent and temporal links between ADHD symptoms and aggressive behaviours. METHODS Using Gaussian Graphical Models and Graphical Vector Autoregression Models, longitudinal and cross-sectional networks of ADHD symptoms and aggressive behaviours, measured using parent-reported Social Behaviour Questionnaires, were estimated. Participants included 1,246 children taking part in the longitudinal Swiss z-proso cohort study at ages 7, 9 and 11. RESULTS The longitudinal network highlighted that ADHD symptoms and aggressive behaviours share a multitude of reciprocal temporal relations, with inattentive ADHD symptoms preceding both reactive and proactive aggression. Cross-sectional networks suggested that hyperactive/impulsive symptoms were predominantly connected to reactive aggressive behaviours but also to a form of proactive aggression, namely dominating other children. CONCLUSION Findings provide preliminary evidence which specific symptoms are the most promising targets for reducing aggressive behaviours in children with ADHD. They also highlight the potential importance of targeting feedback loops resulting from aggressive behaviours. Future research is needed to better understand the mechanisms through which ADHD and aggressive behaviours become linked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Gabriela Speyer
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Manuel Eisner
- Violence Research Centre, Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Denis Ribeaud
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michelle Luciano
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Bonnie Auyeung
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Morrow MT, Hubbard JA, Bookhout MK, Docimo MA, Swift LE, Grassetti SN, Cabanas KL. Lower Levels of Classroom Aggression Predict Stronger Relations Between Peer Victimization and Reactive Versus Proactive Aggression. J Interpers Violence 2022; 37:NP13182-NP13202. [PMID: 33794681 DOI: 10.1177/0886260521997956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We examined the concurrent relations of children's reactive and proactive aggression with their experience of peer victimization. Extending previous research, we assessed these relations at both the child and classroom levels. We predicted that reactive aggression would relate positively to peer victimization, proactive aggression would relate negatively to peer victimization, and that these relations would vary with classroom levels of aggression. Participants included 1,291 fourth- and fifth-grade children (681 girls; M age = 10.14 years) and their 72 teachers from 9 schools in one public school district in the Mid-Atlantic United States. Children completed self-report measures of peer victimization and teachers completed measures of aggression for each child in their classrooms. Via two-level regression (level 1 = child; level 2 = classroom), reactive aggression related positively to peer victimization and proactive aggression related negatively to peer victimization. The positive relation between reactive aggression and peer victimization was only significant in classrooms with low levels of reactive aggression. The negative relation between proactive aggression and peer victimization was only significant in classrooms with low levels of proactive aggression. Our hypotheses were supported and offered further evidence for differential relations of reactive and proactive aggression with peer victimization at the child level, while demonstrating the important role of classroom norms for aggression in moderating these relations.
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Snowden RJ, Amad S, Morley E, Butkute N, Budd R, Jackson L, Abbasi N, Gray NS. Explicit and Implicit Self-esteem and Aggression: Differential Effects of Agency and Communion. J Interpers Violence 2022; 37:NP10036-NP10059. [PMID: 33435807 DOI: 10.1177/0886260520985490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Previous work has shown that self-esteem is related to aggression and violence. However, self-esteem is a multidimensional construct, and so we isolated self-esteem related to agency (e.g., competence and assertiveness) and self-esteem related to communion (e.g., warmth and morality) using both explicit and implicit techniques and examined their relationship to two forms of aggression (proactive and reactive aggression) in two samples. In an undergraduate sample (N = 130), high levels of explicit agency were associated with increased aggression but only for those with low implicit agency. On the other hand, high levels of either explicit or implicit communion showed reduced proactive aggression, while high levels of explicit communion were also associated with low levels of reactive aggression. In a community sample of people with problems due to homelessness (N = 101), we found that high levels of explicit communion were also associated with lower levels of both forms of aggression. The results show that different aspects of self-esteem, namely agency and communion, have quite different relationships to aggression and that implicit measures of these self-evaluations are also important constructs in the prediction of aggression. Implicit measures of self-esteem could be used by clinicians to understand the motivations behind an individual's aggression and its management.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Nicola S Gray
- Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, UK
- Swansea Bay University Health Board, Wales, UK
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15
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Dane AV, Lapierre KR, Andrews NCZ, Volk AA. Evolutionarily relevant aggressive functions: Differentiating competitive, impression management, sadistic and reactive motives. Aggress Behav 2022; 48:331-340. [PMID: 35088903 DOI: 10.1002/ab.22020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated early adolescents' (ages 9-14; M = 11.91) self-reported, evolutionarily relevant motives for using aggression, including competitive, impression management, sadistic, and reactive functions, and examined differential relations with a range of psychosocial characteristics. As expected, competitive functions were associated with aggression and victimization in which the perpetrator had equal or less power than the victim, in line with the view that these are aversive and appetitive motives related to competition with rivals. Impression management and sadistic functions were associated with bullying and coercive resource control strategies (the latter for boys only), consistent with expectations that these are appetitive motives, with the former being more goal-directed and the latter somewhat more impulsive. Finally, as hypothesized, reactive functions were associated with emotional symptoms, hostility, victimization by bullying, and aggression by perpetrators with equal or less power than the victim, consistent with theory and research conceptualizing reactive aggression as an impulsive, emotion-driven response to provocation. The benefits of studying a wide range of evolutionarily relevant aggressive functions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew V. Dane
- Department of Psychology Brock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
| | - Kiana R. Lapierre
- Department of Psychology Brock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
| | - Naomi C. Z. Andrews
- Department of Child and Youth Studies Brock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
| | - Anthony A. Volk
- Department of Child and Youth Studies Brock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
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16
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Li X, Wang Y, Li J, Tang J, Zhang J, Wang M, Jiang S. Violence exposure across multiple contexts as predictors of reactive and proactive aggression in Chinese preadolescents. Aggress Behav 2022; 48:319-330. [PMID: 34982844 DOI: 10.1002/ab.22016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Based on different functions of aggression, the conceptual distinction of reactive and proactive aggression has been proposed. It is widely acknowledged that adolescents' violence exposure contributes to later perpetration of aggressive behaviors. However, few studies have compared the effects of violence exposure on reactive/proactive aggression based on the forms (i.e., witnessing and being victimized) and the contexts (i.e., family, community, and school), especially in preadolescents. Thus, the relationship between two forms of violence exposure (witnessing and victimization) and later perpetrating reactive and proactive aggression were compared within and across three social contexts in a sample of Chinese preadolescents. Participants were 609 preadolescents 51.9% boys) recruited from five primary schools in China. Information on two forms of violence exposure across multiple contexts and demography were collected at Time 1 (Mage = 10.65), and aggression data (i.e., reactive and proactive aggression) were collected a year later at Time 2. Results evidenced witnessing and being victimized by violence in the home were more consistently related to later perpetration of reactive and proactive aggression. Witnessing family violence was significantly associated with later perpetration of reactive aggression than witnessing violence in the community. Being victimized by violence in the community and the home were significantly associated with later perpetration of proactive aggression than school victimization. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the roles of both types of violence exposure across contexts in later perpetration of aggression during early adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqing Li
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Education Shenzhen University Shenzhen China
| | - Yue Wang
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Education Shenzhen University Shenzhen China
| | - Jiamei Li
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Education Shenzhen University Shenzhen China
| | - Jiayu Tang
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Education Shenzhen University Shenzhen China
| | - Jiaying Zhang
- Department of Applied Psychology, School of Psychiatry Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou China
| | - Mingzhu Wang
- Department of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Education Shaanxi Normal University Xian China
| | - Suo Jiang
- Department of Applied Psychology, School of Psychiatry Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou China
- The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou China
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17
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Fung ALC. Psychosocial Correlates of Reactive and Proactive Aggression among Protesters during the Social Movement in Hong Kong. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:ijerph19084679. [PMID: 35457548 PMCID: PMC9024564 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19084679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This pioneering study examined how psychosocial factors predicted reactive and proactive aggression among adolescents and young adults in Hong Kong during the Anti-Extradition Bill Movement. A total of 1027 local secondary and tertiary students (578 male, 449 female) aged from 12 to 25 years (M = 16.95, SD = 3.30) completed a questionnaire measuring political participation and attitudes, victimization experiences, aggression, life satisfaction, moral disengagement, and psychopathic traits. ANCOVA and multiple linear regression analyses were performed. The results revealed that compared with non-protesters, protestors had more negative traits and poorer well-being (higher levels of reactive aggression, moral disengagement, narcissism, and impulsivity; lower life satisfaction; more experiences of victimization by strangers related to political disputes). Nonetheless, protesters had similar psychosocial correlates of reactive and proactive aggression when compared to the non-protesters. Among the protesters, reactive aggression was positively predicted by anger towards the government, moral justification, diffusion of responsibility, impulsivity, and narcissism and negatively predicted by satisfaction with the government, advantageous comparison, and dehumanization. Furthermore, proactive aggression was positively predicted by narcissism, euphemistic language, and advantageous comparison and negatively predicted by moral justification. The implications of the findings for psychotherapy, school education, parenting, and social policies are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annis Lai Chu Fung
- Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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18
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Özdemir EZ, Bektaş M. Effects of parental attitude and proactive and reactive aggression on cyberbullying and victimization among secondary school students. Perspect Psychiatr Care 2022; 58:830-839. [PMID: 34003493 DOI: 10.1111/ppc.12856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To predict the effect of parental attitude and proactive and reactive aggression on the cyberbully, cyber victims, and cyberbully/victim among students aged 9-14 years. METHODS This study is a cross-sectional, correlational, and predictive study. The sample included 360 students. Data were collected with the "Adolescence Information Form," "Parental Attitude Scale," "Proactive-Reactive Aggression Scale," and "Cyberbully/Victim Questionnaire." Logistic regression analysis was used. FINDINGS This study was determined that proactive-reactive aggression and parental attitude predicted 30.3% of cyberbully/victim cases. Proactive aggression and Internet usage time are essential predictors of cyberbullying cases. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS To protect and improve their children's health, children should be informed about cyberbullying, proactive-reactive aggression, and the duration of Internet use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emine Z Özdemir
- Department of Pediatric Nursing, Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Nursing, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Murat Bektaş
- Department of Pediatric Nursing, Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Nursing, Izmir, Turkey
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19
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McClain CM, Christian Elledge L, Manring S, Whitley ML, Vernberg EM. Functions of Aggression and Peer Likeability in Elementary School Children Across Time. J Appl Sch Psychol 2022; 38:95-122. [PMID: 35694439 PMCID: PMC9187259 DOI: 10.1080/15377903.2021.1911897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
We examined associations between proactive and reactive aggression and peer likability across two academic years. Analyses were based on a sample of 442 elementary school children. Proactive and reactive aggression were assessed through self-report and peer likability was assessed via a peer nomination inventory. Data were collected in the fall and spring of two academic years. Findings from cross-lagged multiple group longitudinal panel models where pathways were freely estimated for boys and girls provided evidence that the relation between reactive aggression and reciprocated liking and received only liking nominations was negative and transactional for girls. Proactive aggression had mixed associations with likability between boys and girls. Our findings suggest that preventative interventions that focus on reducing reactive aggression or increasing peer likability have the potential to shift children away from trajectories of long-term maladjustment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara M. McClain
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, 1404 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - L. Christian Elledge
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, 1404 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Sam Manring
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, 1404 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Marisa L. Whitley
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, 1404 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Eric M. Vernberg
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Dole Human Development Building, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Room 2015, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
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20
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Mancinelli E, Li JB, Lis A, Salcuni S. Adolescents' Attachment to Parents and Reactive- Proactive Aggression: The Mediating Role of Alexithymia. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:ijerph182413363. [PMID: 34948969 PMCID: PMC8704311 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182413363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Aggressive behaviors can serve different functions, which might be understood by distinguishing between reactive (RA) and proactive (PA) aggression. Few studies were conducted on adolescents’ family precursors and emotional processes associated with RA or PA. Accordingly, the current study compared RA and PA by evaluating their association with adolescents’ attachment to parents and alexithymia. N = 453 Italian adolescents aged 15–19 years (Mage = 16.48; SD = 0.69; 33.6% males) participated in the study filling in self-report measures. Results showed that PA and RA are significantly associated and that PA was higher among males. Moreover, four mediational models were performed to assess the influence of adolescents’ attachment to mothers vs. fathers on RA or PA, considering the mediating role of alexithymia. Gender was included as a covariate. Mediational models’ results showed a direct and indirect effect, through lower alexithymia, of adolescents’ attachment to mothers and fathers on RA. Differently, only attachment to mothers showed a direct effect on PA, while attachment to fathers only an indirect effect, mediated by lower alexithymia, on PA was shown. Findings support the greater relevance of emotional processes for RA while highlighting the differential contribution of adolescents’ attachment to mothers vs. fathers upon PA. Implications are discussed, and suggestions for future research are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Mancinelli
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy; (A.L.); (S.S.)
- Digital Health Lab, Centre for Digital Health and Wellbeing, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, 38123 Trento, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-334-2799698
| | - Jian-Bin Li
- Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
| | - Adriana Lis
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy; (A.L.); (S.S.)
| | - Silvia Salcuni
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy; (A.L.); (S.S.)
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21
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Lobbestael J, Cima MJ. Virtual Reality for Aggression Assessment: The Development and Preliminary Results of Two Virtual Reality Tasks to Assess Reactive and Proactive Aggression in Males. Brain Sci 2021; 11:1653. [PMID: 34942955 PMCID: PMC8699434 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11121653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Validly measuring aggression is challenging because self-reports are plagued with biased answer tendencies and behavioral measures with ethical concerns and low ecological validity. The current study, therefore, introduces a novel virtual reality (VR) aggression assessment tool, differentially assessing reactive and proactive aggression. Two VR tasks were developed, one in an alley environment (N = 24, all male, Mage = 23.88, 83.3% students) and an improved second one in a bar (N = 50, all male, Mage = 22.54, 90% students). In this bar VR task, participants were randomly assigned to either the reactive condition where they were triggered by a cheating and insulting dart-player or to the proactive condition where they could earn extra money by aggressing. Participants' level of self-reported aggression and psychopathy was assessed, after which they engaged in either the reactive or proactive VR task. Changes in affect and blood pressure were also measured. Aggression in the reactive VR task was evidenced to mostly display convergent validity because it positively correlated with self-reported aggression and total and fearless dominance factor scores of psychopathy, and there was a trend relationship with increased systolic blood pressure. The validity of the proactive aggression variant of our VR bar paradigm received less support, and needs more refinement. It can be concluded that VR is a potentially promising tool to experimentally induce and assess (reactive) aggression, which has the potential to provide aggression researchers and clinicians with a realistic and modifiable aggression assessment environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill Lobbestael
- Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6211 Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Maaike J. Cima
- Department Developmental Psychopathology, Brain Science Institute, Radboud University, 6525 Nijmegen, The Netherlands;
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22
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Abstract
The importance of psychopathy in the forensic and criminal justice domains is largely due to its robust associations with aggression and violent behavior. Hence, investigators have increasingly been interested in elucidating potential mechanisms linking psychopathy and aggression. Recent research highlighted previously overlooked associations between psychopathy and difficulties in emotion regulation, the process responsible for monitoring, evaluating, and managing one's emotional experience, as well as for guiding behavior under intense emotional arousal. Yet, it remains unclear whether emotion dysregulation may be helpful to explain well-documented associations between psychopathy and aggression. The present study examined whether emotion dysregulation mediated associations (i.e., explained a significant portion of the shared variance) between psychopathy and aggression across community (N = 521) and offender (N = 268) samples. Participants completed self-report measures of psychopathy, emotion dysregulation, trait aggressiveness (i.e., anger, hostility, physical and verbal aggression), as well as reactive and proactive aggression. Across both samples, psychopathy had significant indirect effect on all indices of aggression through emotion dysregulation, with the exception of verbal aggression. These findings support the relevance of emotion regulation for the construct of psychopathy and its maladaptive correlates and highlight the potential relevance of focusing on emotion regulation as a possible target for interventions aimed at reducing aggression among individuals with psychopathic traits.
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Abstract
The present study reports on a preregistered investigation of the potential mediating role of the triarchic psychopathy components Boldness, Meanness, and Disinhibition for associations between childhood traumatic experiences (CTE) and aggression. Three nonclinical samples (total N = 1,729; 1,176 women, 68.02%) completed self-report instruments of CTE, triarchic psychopathy traits, reactive and proactive aggression (Samples 1 and 2), and general aggression (Sample 3). Cross-sectional path analyses revealed that both Meanness and Disinhibition consistently mediated associations between CTE and aggression. These indirect effects were consistent across gender, even though the direct effect of Meanness on proactive aggression was stronger in men than in women (Samples 1 and 2). Finally, Boldness had weak negative associations with childhood traumatic experiences in all three samples, but no direct association with aggression. Taken together, these correlational findings suggest potential developmental mechanisms linking early traumatic experiences to adult aggression through elevated levels of psychopathic traits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlo Garofalo
- Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.,Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
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24
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Palumbo IM, Latzman RD. Parsing Associations Between Dimensions of Empathy and Reactive and Proactive Aggression. J Pers Disord 2021; 35:56-74. [PMID: 33999656 DOI: 10.1521/pedi_2021_35_522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The broad dimension of empathy has been shown to underlie various forms of psychopathology, most extensively studied for the externalizing spectrum of psychopathology. However, associations between subdimensions of empathy and functions of aggression remain unclear. The current study (N = 409) aimed to investigate common and specific associations between a higher-order model of aggression, comprising reactive aggression (RA) and proactive aggression (PA) factors with an overarching general aggression factor, and item-level factor analytically derived dimensions of empathy: affective/self-oriented empathy and cognitive/other-oriented empathy. Results demonstrated specific and opposing associations between dimensions of empathy and the general aggression factor, such that affective/self-oriented empathy was positively associated, and cognitive/other-oriented empathy was negatively associated with general aggression. Affective/self-oriented empathy was positively associated with RA, whereas cognitive/other-oriented empathy was negatively associated with RA and PA. Results confirm the importance of considering the multidimensionality of empathy and aggression and suggest both common and distinct pathways from empathy to aggression.
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25
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Belfry KD, Kolla NJ. Cold-Blooded and on Purpose: A Review of the Biology of Proactive Aggression. Brain Sci 2021; 11:1412. [PMID: 34827411 PMCID: PMC8615983 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11111412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Proactive aggression (PA) is a planned and unprovoked form of aggression that is most often enacted for personal gain or in anticipation of a reward. Frequently described as "cold-blooded" or goal oriented, PA is thought to be associated with low autonomic arousal. With this view in mind, we performed a scoping review of the biological correlates of PA and identified 74 relevant articles. Physiological findings indicated a robust association between PA and reduced resting heart rate, and to a lesser extent a relationship between PA and decreased heart rate and skin conductance reactivity, perhaps indicating dampened sympathetic function. The twin literature identified PA as a heritable trait, but little evidence implicates specific genes in the pathogenesis of PA. Neuroimaging studies of PA pinpoint impaired amygdala function in the assessment and conditioning of aversive stimuli, which may influence the establishment of behavioral patterns. Nodes of the default mode network were identified as possible neural correlates of PA, suggesting that altered function of this network may be involved in the genesis of PA. Given the overlap of PA with reactive aggression and the overall behavioral complexity of PA, it is clear that multiple endophenotypes of PA exist. This comprehensive review surveys the most salient neurobiologically informed research on PA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly D. Belfry
- Waypoint Research Institute, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Penetanguishene, ON L9M 1G3, Canada;
| | - Nathan J. Kolla
- Waypoint Research Institute, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Penetanguishene, ON L9M 1G3, Canada;
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Violence Prevention Neurobiological Research Unit, CAMH, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Waypoint/University of Toronto Research Chair in Forensic Mental Health Science, Penetanguishene, ON L9M 1G3, Canada
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26
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Boccadoro S, Wagels L, Henn AT, Hüpen P, Graben L, Raine A, Neuner I. Proactive vs. Reactive Aggression Within Two Modified Versions of the Taylor Aggression Paradigm. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:749041. [PMID: 34658808 PMCID: PMC8511695 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.749041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP) has been widely used to measure reactive aggression following provocation during competitive interactions. Besides being reactive, aggression can be goal-directed (proactive aggression). Our study presents a novel paradigm to investigate proactive aggression during competitive interactions. Sixty-seven healthy participants competed in two modified versions of the TAP against an ostensible opponent while skin conductance responses (SCRs) were recorded. During the proactive TAP (pTAP), only the participant could interfere with the ostensible opponent’s performance by blurring the screen. In the reactive TAP (rTAP), the opponent repeatedly provoked the participant by blurring the screen of the participant, impeding their chance to win. In both versions, the blurriness levels chosen by the participant served as a measure of aggression (unprovoked in the pTAP and provoked in the rTAP). In the pTAP, trial-by-trial mixed model analyses revealed higher aggression with higher self-reported selfishness. SCRs decreased with increasing proactive aggression. An interaction effect between gender and proactive aggression for the SCRs revealed increased SCRs at higher aggression levels in females, but lower SCRs at higher aggression levels in males. In the rTAP, SCRs were not associated with reactive aggression but aggression increased with increasing provocation and especially after losing against the opponent when provoked. While males showed higher aggression levels than females when unprovoked, reactive aggression increased more strongly in females with higher provocation. Mean levels of aggression in both tasks showed a high positive correlation. Our results highlight that, despite being intercorrelated and both motivated by selfishness, proactive and reactive aggression are differentially influenced by gender and physiological arousal. Proactive aggression is related to lower physiological arousal, especially in males, with females showing the opposite association. Reactive aggressive behavior is a result of individual responses to provocation, to which females seem to be more sensitive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Boccadoro
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Lisa Wagels
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN Institute Brain Structure and Function, INM-10, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany
| | - Alina Theresa Henn
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Philippa Hüpen
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN Institute Brain Structure and Function, INM-10, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany
| | - Lia Graben
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Adrian Raine
- Department of Criminology, Psychiatry, and Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Irene Neuner
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 4, INM-4, Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN-Translational Medicine, Aachen, Germany
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27
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Malonda-Vidal E, Samper-García P, Llorca-Mestre A, Muñoz-Navarro R, Mestre-Escrivá V. Traditional Masculinity and Aggression in Adolescence: Its Relationship with Emotional Processes. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:9802. [PMID: 34574731 PMCID: PMC8469901 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18189802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Traditional masculinity includes norms that encourage many of the aggressive behaviors whereas traditional femininity emphasizes aggression very little. In addition, the lack of emotional regulation as well as a poor impulse control have been related to aggression and, in particular, with reactive and proactive aggression. The objective of this study is to examine the role of gender stereotypes (masculinity/femininity) in reactive and proactive aggression, through regulatory emotional self-efficacy and emotion regulation. A total of 390 adolescents participated in a longitudinal study in Valencia, Spain. Structural equations modeling (SEM) was employed to explore a two-wave longitudinal model. The results show that femininity relates to reactive aggression through regulatory emotional self-efficacy and emotion regulation. This way, both emotional self-efficacy and emotional regulation mediate the relation between femininity and reactive aggression. Furthermore, reactive and proactive aggression relate positively and directly to masculinity and negatively to femininity. Therefore, violence prevention programs with adolescents should incorporate information to break down gender stereotypes and promote strategies to manage emotions. Such efforts may be helpful to reduce aggressive behaviors and violence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Malonda-Vidal
- Department of Basic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (P.S.-G.); (A.L.-M.); (V.M.-E.)
| | - Paula Samper-García
- Department of Basic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (P.S.-G.); (A.L.-M.); (V.M.-E.)
| | - Anna Llorca-Mestre
- Department of Basic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (P.S.-G.); (A.L.-M.); (V.M.-E.)
| | - Roger Muñoz-Navarro
- Department of Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatments, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain;
| | - Vicenta Mestre-Escrivá
- Department of Basic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (P.S.-G.); (A.L.-M.); (V.M.-E.)
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Gray NS, Blumenthal S, Shuker R, Wood H, Fonagy P, Snowden RJ. The Triarchic Model of Psychopathy and Antisocial Behavior: Results From an Offender Population With Personality Disorder. J Interpers Violence 2021; 36:NP9130-NP9152. [PMID: 31189393 DOI: 10.1177/0886260519853404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The triarchic model posits that psychopathy is a combination of phenotypes related to boldness, meanness, and disinhibition. We examined how each of these phenotypes of psychopathy related to past violence and antisocial behavior and to behavior within the prison. The sample consisted of men (n = 108) with a history of serious offending and a diagnosis of personality disorder at the point of admission to a prison serving as a therapeutic community. We took four indices of violence and antisocial behavior, (a) self-report of lifetime proactive and reaction aggression, (b) criminal convictions prior to admission to the prison, (c) exclusion from the prison within 12 months due to rule breaking, and (d) behavior within the first 12 months of admission to the unit. The constructs of the triarchic model, as assessed by the triarchic psychopathy measure (TriPM), were strong predictors of self-reported aggression, with disinhibition being related to both proactive and reactive aggression, whereas boldness was related to proactive aggression alone. Past criminal convictions were also associated with disinhibition, except for convictions for violent behavior. Both meanness and disinhibition were predictive of exclusion from the prison within 12 months for rule-breaking behavior and of aggressive behavior within the prison. The triarchic model of psychopathy is associated with past antisocial behavior and is predictive of antisocial behaviors within the prison, and the different constructs of the triarchic model are associated with different manifestations of antisocial behavior. The TriPM holds great promise for improved assessment and enhanced understanding of psychopathic personality within institutions and can facilitate offender management via improved phenotypic analysis of boldness, meanness, and disinhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola S Gray
- Swansea University, UK
- Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board, UK
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Fung ALC. Sex Differences in the Relationships between Forms of Peer Victimization and Reactive and Proactive Aggression in Schoolchildren. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:ijerph18105443. [PMID: 34069661 PMCID: PMC8161184 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18105443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
The original study investigated sex differences in the relationships between multiple forms of peer victimization (physical victimization, verbal victimization, and social exclusion) and subtypes of aggression (reactive aggression and proactive aggression) in schoolchildren. A self-report questionnaire assessing levels of peer victimization and aggression was administered to 3790 schoolchildren (1916 males and 1874 females) aged 11 to 17 (M = 13.19; SD = 1.17) from 10 middle schools in Hong Kong. The pure effect of each subtype of aggression were evaluated by statistically controlling for another subtype of aggression in analyses. Furthermore, participants were classified as non-aggressors, reactive aggressors, proactive aggressors, and reactive–proactive aggressors to investigate their differences in specific forms of peer victimization. Data were analyzed by hierarchical linear regression and ANOVA. The results showed: (1) Sex significantly moderated the relationship between specific forms of peer victimization and subtypes of aggression; (2) In males, reactive aggression was positively predicted by verbal victimization; proactive aggression was positively predicted by physical victimization and social exclusion, and negatively predicted by verbal victimization; (3) In females, reactive aggression was positively predicted by physical victimization and social exclusion; proactive aggression was negatively predicted by social exclusion; and (4) Reactive–proactive aggressors reported more physical victimization than other types of aggressors. The findings have significant implications for distinctive functions of reactive and proactive aggression and the need to develop differentiated interventions for male and female schoolchildren.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annis Lai-Chu Fung
- Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
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30
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van Dongen JDM, de Groot M, Rassin E, Hoyle RH, Franken IHA. Sensation seeking and its relationship with psychopathic traits, impulsivity and aggression: a validation of the Dutch Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS). Psychiatr Psychol Law 2021; 29:20-32. [PMID: 35693383 PMCID: PMC9186344 DOI: 10.1080/13218719.2020.1821825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sensation seeking is a personality trait that manifests as a preference for change, variety and novelty. Sensation seeking has been positively associated with different externalising behaviours. However, its associations with psychopathic traits, impulsivity and aggression are unclear. These associations were examined via the psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS) using individuals from the general population and forensic patients. The results show that the BSSS has good psychometric properties, including test-retest reliability and a four-factor structure. Additionally, the results support associations between sensation seeking and psychopathic traits, impulsivity and total scores of aggression but revealed no specific associations with different types of aggression (e.g. proactive and reactive). The Dutch BSSS is a valuable tool for assessing sensation seeking in both the general population and forensic patients. Future research should further examine its utility and explore the role of sensation seeking in antisocial conduct.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josanne D. M. van Dongen
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Manon de Groot
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eric Rassin
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rick H. Hoyle
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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31
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Wang Y, Cao S, Zhang Q, Xia L. The longitudinal relationship between angry rumination and reactive- proactive aggression and the moderation effect of consideration of future consequences-immediate. Aggress Behav 2020; 46:476-488. [PMID: 32632922 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The idea that influential factors for two subtypes of aggression (reactive and proactive aggression) should be different is popular, but the common influential factors have not been examined. Such an examination could help understand the influential factors of aggression from the perspective of multiple motivations affecting the development of aggressive motivations over time. The present study argued that angry rumination would be a common influential factor for both reactive and proactive aggression. In addition, consideration of future consequences (CFC) may moderate the longitudinal effect of angry rumination on proactive aggression. Two studies were conducted to test these hypotheses. In Study 1, a cross-lagged analysis with a 6-month interval was employed. A total of 505 undergraduate students (46% males) completed the questionnaires twice. Results indicated that after a 6-month period, angry rumination predicted reactive aggression but not proactive aggression. Furthermore, reactive aggression predicted angry rumination over time. In Study 2, a moderation analysis was performed with another 437 participants (130 males). The results partly supported our hypotheses, indicating that CFC-immediate (CFC-I) moderated the longitudinal effect of angry rumination on proactive aggression. The present results extended prior research regarding the predictors of proactive and reactive aggression and may contribute to a greater understanding of the development of aggressive motivation. In addition, our research suggested that high CFC-I may be an important factor for the motivation change from reactive aggression to proactive aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueyue Wang
- Faculty of Psychology Southwest University Chongqing China
| | - Shen Cao
- Faculty of Psychology Southwest University Chongqing China
| | - Qin Zhang
- Faculty of Psychology Southwest University Chongqing China
| | - Ling‐Xiang Xia
- Faculty of Psychology Southwest University Chongqing China
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32
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Murray AL, Obsuth I, Zirk-Sadowski J, Ribeaud D, Eisner M. Developmental Relations Between ADHD Symptoms and Reactive Versus Proactive Aggression Across Childhood and Adolescence. J Atten Disord 2020; 24:1701-1710. [PMID: 27585832 DOI: 10.1177/1087054716666323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Past research has provided some preliminary evidence that ADHD and reactive aggression have overlapping neurocognitive bases. Based on this, we tested the hypothesis that ADHD symptoms are closely coupled in developmental terms with reactive aggression, more so than with proactive aggression with which it has been postulated to be only indirectly linked. Method: We used latent growth curve analysis to estimate the developmental relations between ADHD symptoms and subtypes of aggressive behavior in a normative sample of 1,571 youth (761 female, 810 male) measured from ages 7 to 15. Results: Individual ADHD trajectories were significantly and substantially correlated with individual trajectories in both aggressive subtypes; however, consistent with our hypothesis, the relation with reactive aggression was significantly stronger. Conclusion: Our study provides some of the first evidence for a differential relation between ADHD symptoms and aggression subtypes not only cross-sectionally but also in terms of their longitudinal developmental trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Denis Ribeaud
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH), Switzerland
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Toro RA, García-García J, Zaldívar-Basurto F. Factorial Analysis and Invariance Testing for Age and Gender of the Reactive- Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ). Int J Psychol Res (Medellin) 2020; 13:62-70. [PMID: 32952964 PMCID: PMC7498120 DOI: 10.21500/20112084.4190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Reactive aggression is characterized by high emotional activation, impulsivity, and hostility, while proactive aggression presents a cold, instrumental, and planned strategy. The aim was to perform a psychometric analysis of the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire [RPQ]. A non-probability sample of 502 people between 18 and 40 years old was formed, grouped by sex (n=297, 59.2% women and n=205, 40.8% men) and age (n = 224, 44.62% under 25 years old and n=278, 55.38% over 25 years old). The instruments were the RPQ, the Anger Rumination Scale (ARS), and an affective scale (PANAS) in printed format. In this instrumental psychometric study, we found that the RPQ fits better in a model of two factors interrelated with residual covariances (CFI = .928, RMSEA = .044), presenting significant correlations with negative affect and anger rumination, as evidence of validity of concurrent criterion, especially with reactive aggression (anger rumination r = .542, and negative affect r = .359). Also, the test was not invariant between sexes and ages, given that the best fit was in the male sex and those under 25 years of age (∆CFI < 0.01, ∆RMSEA < 0.015). We concluded that women and adults over the age of 25 have a different aggressive response profile. These findings represent new directions of research around the measurement of aggressive behavior and the development of gender differentiated interventions for adolescents and young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Alberto Toro
- Universidad de Almería, Almería, España Universidad de Almería Universidad de Almería Almería Spain
| | - Juan García-García
- Universidad de Almería, Almería, España Universidad de Almería Universidad de Almería Almería Spain
| | - Flor Zaldívar-Basurto
- Universidad de Almería, Almería, España Universidad de Almería Universidad de Almería Almería Spain
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van den Bedem NP, Dockrell JE, van Alphen PM, Rieffe C. Emotional Competence Mediates the Relationship between Communication Problems and Reactive Externalizing Problems in Children with and without Developmental Language Disorder: A Longitudinal Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020; 17:ijerph17166008. [PMID: 32824870 PMCID: PMC7459595 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17166008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Language problems are a risk factor for externalizing problems, but the developmental path remains unclear. Emotional competence may mediate the relationship, especially when externalizing problems are reactive in nature, such as in Oppositional Deviant Disorder (ODD) and reactive aggression. We examined the development of reactive and proactive externalizing problems in children with (n = 98) and without (n = 156) Developmental Language Disorder (DLD; age: 8-16 years) over 18 months. Relationships with communicative risk factors (structural, pragmatic and emotion communication) and the mediating role of emotional competence (emotion recognition and anger dysregulation) were examined. Multi-level analyses showed that increasing emotion recognition and decreasing anger dysregulation were longitudinally related to decreasing ODD symptoms in both groups, whereas anger dysregulation was related to more reactive aggression in children with DLD alone. Pragmatic and emotion communication problems were related to more reactive externalizing problems, but these relationships were mediated by emotional competence, suggesting that problems in emotional competence explain the communication problems of children with DLD. Therefore, in addition to interventions for communication skills, there is a need to address the emotional competence of children with DLD, as this decreases the risk for reactive externalizing problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeltje P. van den Bedem
- Developmental Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333AK Leiden, The Netherlands;
- Correspondence:
| | - Julie E. Dockrell
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, University College London, 25 Woburn Square, London WC1H 0AA, UK;
| | - Petra M. van Alphen
- Royal Dutch Kentalis, Theerestraat 42, 5271 GD Sint-Michielsgestel, The Netherlands;
| | - Carolien Rieffe
- Developmental Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333AK Leiden, The Netherlands;
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, University College London, 25 Woburn Square, London WC1H 0AA, UK;
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García-Vázquez FI, Valdés-Cuervo AA, Parra-Pérez LG. The Effects of Forgiveness, Gratitude, and Self-Control on Reactive and Proactive Aggression in Bullying. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020; 17:ijerph17165760. [PMID: 32784946 PMCID: PMC7460229 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17165760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The social cognitive approach to moral development posits that moral self-schemas encourage character strengths and reduce adolescents’ aggression. However, limited research has examined the influence of positive personal characteristics on proactive behaviors and reactive aggression in bullying. This study examined direct and mediational relationships between forgiveness, gratitude, self-control, and both proactive and reactive aggression in bullying. The extent to which the structural relations of this model were invariant by gender and stage of adolescence were also evaluated. Participants in this study were 1000 Mexican students, 500 early adolescents (M age = 12.36, SD = 0.77 years) and 500 middle adolescents (M age = 16.64, SD = 0.89 years), between 12 and 17 years old. Structural equation and multi-group invariance analysis were performed. Results indicate that gratitude and forgiveness are positively related to self-control. Gratitude, forgiveness, and self-control are also negatively related to reactive and proactive aggression. Forgiveness and gratitude had an indirect relationship by decreasing both proactive and reactive aggression through their positive effects on self-control. Additionally, gender moderated the relationships between variables proposed in the model, whereas stage of adolescence did not. Overall findings suggest that moral self-schemas and strengths explained both types of aggression in bullying.
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36
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Tampke EC, Fite PJ, Cooley JL. Bidirectional associations between affective empathy and proactive and reactive aggression. Aggress Behav 2020; 46:317-326. [PMID: 32227484 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Preliminary evidence indicates that affective empathy is differentially related to proactive and reactive functions of aggression. However, additional longitudinal research is needed to understand the potential reciprocal nature of these links. The current study examined the bidirectional associations between affective empathy and proactive and reactive aggression over a 6-month period during middle childhood, with attention to potential gender differences. Data were collected from 294 elementary school children (52% girls; M = 9.25 years; SD = 0.944 years) and their homeroom teachers. Affective empathy was assessed using self-reports, and teachers provided ratings of children's functions of aggression. Data were collected during the fall and spring of one academic year. Overall, results suggest some evidence that affective empathy and functions of aggression are reciprocally linked over time. As predicted, Time 1 empathy was inversely associated with Time 2 proactive aggression and Time 1 reactive aggression was inversely associated with Time 2 empathy. Contrary to expectations, Time 1 proactive aggression was marginally positively associated with Time 2 empathy, and Time 1 empathy was not significantly associated with Time 2 reactive aggression. These prospective links did not differ according to gender. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paula J. Fite
- Clinical Child Psychology ProgramUniversity of Kansas Lawrence Kansas
| | - John L. Cooley
- Developmental Psychobiology Research GroupUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Aurora Colorado
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37
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Lam BYH, Raine A, Fung ALC, Gao Y, Lee TMC. Caregivers' Grit Moderates the Relationship Between Children's Executive Function and Aggression. Front Psychol 2020; 11:636. [PMID: 32373017 PMCID: PMC7186376 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous studies have shown that the impairment of executive function is positively related to aggression in children and adolescents. What is worth investigating is the moderator of such a relationship so that aggressive behavior can be reduced effectively in those who have executive function problems. The present study examined the association between executive function and two major subtypes of aggression (proactive and reactive aggression) and whether their caregivers' grit (perseverance) moderated such relationship. METHOD Executive function and reactive and proactive aggression were assessed in 254 children and adolescents aged 8-19 years old, and their caregivers' grit was measured. RESULTS Results show that caregivers' grit plays a significant role in moderating the relationship between children's executive function and proactive aggression after controlling for the covariates including the children's age, gender, and family income. Specifically, children's executive function became more negatively associated with proactive aggression when caregivers' grit was high while the association was positive when it was low. On the other hand, the association between children's executive function and reactive aggression did not vary across different levels of caregivers' grit. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that proactive aggression may be reduced in those who have better executive function by enhancing their caregivers' grit, which inform the design of interventions in adjunct with the current approach (e.g., executive function training) to reduce aggression in children and adolescents in the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bess Y. H. Lam
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Adrian Raine
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Criminology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Annis L. C. Fung
- Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Yu Gao
- The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, New York, NY, United States
- Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, New York, NY, United States
| | - Tatia M. C. Lee
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
- Laboratory of Cognitive Affective Neuroscience, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
- The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
- Institute of Clinical Neuropsychology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
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38
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Pederson CA, Fite PJ, Weigand PD, Myers H, Housman L. Implementation of a Behavioral Intervention in a Juvenile Detention Center: Do Individual Characteristics Matter? Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol 2020; 64:83-99. [PMID: 31466490 DOI: 10.1177/0306624x19872627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A sample of 129 (73% male) youth admitted consecutively into a juvenile detention center were used to examine individual characteristics that contribute the implementation of a behavioral intervention within a juvenile detention center. Given that a system of rewards and punishments is considered the mechanism of change within many behavioral interventions, individuals risk characteristics (i.e., proactive and reactive aggression, behavioral inhibition, subsystems of behavioral activation, callous-unemotional traits, perceived containment) were examined in relation to the rewards (i.e., positive feedback) and punishments (i.e., fines) used by the facility. Data were collected via structured interviews with youth and archival data. The number of days youth spent in detention was the only predictor of positive feedback received. Number of days in detention, sex, and race were related to fines. Behavioral activation drive was the only individual characteristic related to fines. Implications of findings are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Holly Myers
- Douglas County Youth Services, Lawrence, KS, USA
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Song JH, Colasante T, Malti T. Taming anger and trusting others: Roles of skin conductance, anger regulation, and trust in children's aggression. Br J Dev Psychol 2019; 38:42-58. [PMID: 31560134 DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Proactive and reactive aggression subtypes are distinguishable as early as the preschool years. However, their early physiological and social-emotional correlates have not been examined simultaneously. We tested whether children's skin conductance level, anger regulation, and trust in others were differentially related to their proactive and reactive aggression. Four-year-olds and their primary caregivers were recruited from a large Canadian city (N = 150). Controlling for reactive aggression, higher trust was associated with lower proactive aggression, but only for children with low anger regulation or skin conductance level. Controlling for proactive aggression, lower anger regulation was related to higher reactive aggression, and higher trust was related to higher reactive aggression for children with high skin conductance level. Findings highlight the unique and collective relations of physiology, emotion regulation, and trust to different forms of aggression in early childhood. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject Proactive and reactive aggression subtypes are distinguishable as early as the preschool years. Unique physiological and social-emotional correlates of each subtype have been studied in middle and late childhood. Trust is a critical milestone for positive social interactions in early childhood and has been linked to aggression. What the present study adds Physiological and social-emotional correlates are uniquely linked to subtypes of aggression already at age 4. Trust is differentially linked to aggression subtypes as a function of anger regulation and skin conductance level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju-Hyun Song
- Department of Child Development, California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, California, USA
| | - Tyler Colasante
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tina Malti
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
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40
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Thomson ND, Beauchaine TP. Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia Mediates Links Between Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms and Both Aggressive and Violent Behavior. J Pers Disord 2019; 33:544-559. [PMID: 30307825 DOI: 10.1521/pedi_2018_32_358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Although emotion dysregulation (ED) is a core symptom of borderline personality disorder (BPD), tests of associations between ED and aggression and violence-which are common to BPD-are sparse. The authors evaluated mediating effects of an autonomic vulnerability to ED on links between BPD symptoms and (a) reactive aggression, (b) proactive aggression, and (c) histories of interpersonal violence in a sample of young adults (N = 104), ages 18-22 years. Low baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) mediated the association between BPD symptoms and reactive aggression. In contrast, although BPD symptoms were correlated with proactive aggression, no mediational effect was found. In addition, low RSA mediated the association between BPD symptoms and histories of interpersonal violence. Collectively, these findings add evidence that neurobiological vulnerability to ED contributes to aggressive and violent behavior among those with BPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas D Thomson
- Division of Acute Care Surgical Services, Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University Health, Richmond, Virginia, and University of Durham, Durham, UK
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41
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Ang RP, Huan VS, Li X, Chan WT. Functions of Aggression and Delinquency: The Moderating Role of Parent Criminality and Friends' Gang Membership. J Interpers Violence 2018; 33:3531-3550. [PMID: 26940351 DOI: 10.1177/0886260516636066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the relationships between two functions of aggression (i.e., reactive and proactive) and delinquency, including the moderating effects of parent criminality and friends' gang membership, in a sample of 1,027 Singaporean adolescents from Grade 7 to Grade 9, with age ranging from 12 to 19 years ( M = 14.10, SD = 1.15). Findings suggested that both reactive aggression and proactive aggression significantly and positively predicted delinquency (after controlling for proactive aggression and reactive aggression, respectively), with proactive aggression being a stronger predictor. Friends' gang membership was found to moderate the relationship between reactive aggression and delinquency, and proactive aggression and delinquency, with stronger moderator effects for the latter. Those who were aggressive proactively and who had friends in a gang appear to be impacted most negatively with respect to delinquency. Parent criminality did not moderate these relationships. These findings highlight the need to effectively address the issues of child and adolescent aggression. Also, developing positive peer relations early is crucial for delinquency prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca P Ang
- 1 National Institue of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Vivien S Huan
- 1 National Institue of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Xiang Li
- 1 National Institue of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Wei Teng Chan
- 1 National Institue of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
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42
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Moore CC, Hubbard J, Morrow MT, Barhight LR, Lines MM, Sallee M, Hyde CT. The simultaneous assessment of and relations between children's sympathetic and parasympathetic psychophysiology and their reactive and proactive aggression. Aggress Behav 2018; 44:614-623. [PMID: 30101420 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The goal of the current study was to examine the link between children's psychophysiology and aggression when both constructs were assessed simultaneously in scenarios designed to provide the opportunity to aggress for either a reactive reason or a proactive reason. Both sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity (skin conductance) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity (respiratory sinus arrhythmia or RSA), as well as their interaction, were included as physiological measures. Participants were 35 5th-grade children who were placed in two virtual-peer scenarios; one scenario provided the opportunity to aggress in response to peer provocation (i.e., reactive aggression) and the other scenario provided the opportunity to aggress for instrumental gain (i.e., proactive aggression). Both skin conductance and RSA were assessed at the time that children were given the opportunity to aggress; this simultaneous assessment of psychophysiology and aggression allowed for an examination of in-the-moment relations between the two constructs. For the reactive scenario, RSA moderated the in-the-moment relation between skin conductance and aggression such that the association was positive at low RSA but negative at high RSA. For the proactive scenario, skin conductance negatively predicted aggression in-the-moment, and RSA positively predicted aggression in-the-moment, but their interaction was not a significant predictor of aggression. Theoretical implications for reactive and proactive aggression and underlying physiological processes are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina C. Moore
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences; University of Delaware; Newark Delaware
| | - Julie Hubbard
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences; University of Delaware; Newark Delaware
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43
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Kassing F, Lochman JE, Glenn AL. Autonomic functioning in reactive versus proactive aggression: The influential role of inconsistent parenting. Aggress Behav 2018; 44:524-536. [PMID: 30040125 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Research has consistently supported autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning as a predictor of aggressive behavior in youth. Several studies have further examined how the functioning of the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS) branches of the ANS interact with environmental factors to predict behavioral outcomes. One factor that has yet to be studied in this context however, is parenting practices. Given that many interventions for externalizing behavior target parenting practices, such as increasing consistent discipline, it may be particularly important to assess whether parenting practices interact with SNS and PNS functioning in the child to influence risk for aggressive behavior. Therefore, the current study addressed this question by examining inconsistent discipline as a moderator of the relationship between baseline SNS versus PNS activity and reactive versus proactive aggression. Data were collected from a sample of fourth graders identified as at-risk for aggression (N = 188). Results indicated that baseline SNS activity was positively related to proactive aggression under high levels of inconsistent discipline, but negatively related to proactive aggression under very low levels of inconsistent discipline. Baseline PNS activity was negatively associated with reactive aggression under low levels of inconsistent discipline. No main effects were found for SNS or PNS functioning and either form of aggression, emphasizing the importance of taking a biosocial approach to examining the predictors of aggressive behavior in at-risk youth. Results from this study help to better understand the circumstances under which children are most likely to exhibit reactive versus proactive aggression, better informing targeted prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Kassing
- Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
| | - John E Lochman
- Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
| | - Andrea L Glenn
- Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
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44
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Runions KC, Salmivalli C, Shaw T, Burns S, Cross D. Beyond the reactive-proactive dichotomy: Rage, revenge, reward, and recreational aggression predict early high school bully and bully/victim status. Aggress Behav 2018; 44:501-511. [PMID: 29956340 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The role of reactive and proactive aggression in school bullying perpetration remains unclear. In this study, we explore the predictive value of an expanded model of aggression motives based on the Quadripartite Violence Typology (QVT), which distinguishes between motivational valence (appetitive or aversive) and recruitment of deliberative self-control to derive four classes of motives: Rage, Revenge, Reward, and Recreation. With a sample of 1,802 students from grades 7-9, we assessed aggression motives via self-report, along with self-report of bullying perpetration and victimization, which were used to assign students into categories of Pure Bully, Bully/Victim (B/V), Pure Victim, and Uninvolved. Two structural models were computed to examine the relationship between these four categories of bullying involvement and aggression motives, using conservative and liberal bullying cutoffs. As predicted, B/V status was more strongly related to Rage and Revenge motives. However, B/Vs had higher scores than Pure Bullies for almost all aggression motives, including Recreation. We discuss the implications of addressing Revenge and Recreation, as well as Reward and Rage (which map most clearly to proactive and reactive aggression, respectively) aggression motives, for bullying prevention and intervention strategies, especially among adolescents for whom extant bullying prevention strategies may be ineffective or counterproductive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin C Runions
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- Community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Western Australian Department of Health, Perth, Australia
| | | | - Therese Shaw
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | | | - Donna Cross
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
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Smeijers D, Brugman S, von Borries K, Verkes RJ, Bulten E. Lack of correspondence between the reactive proactive questionnaire and the impulsive premeditated aggression scale among forensic psychiatric outpatients. Aggress Behav 2018; 44:471-480. [PMID: 29766519 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The most studied bimodal classifications of aggressive behavior are the impulsive/premeditated distinction measured with the Impulsive Premeditated Aggression Scale and the reactive/proactive distinction measured with the Reactive Proactive Questionnaire. The terms of these classifications are often used interchangeably, assuming that reactive aggression is equivalent to impulsive aggression and that proactive aggressive behavior is the same as premeditated aggression. The correspondence or discrepancy between both aggression classifications/questionnaires, however, is understudied. Therefore, the current study investigated the correspondence between the RPQ and IPAS in a sample of 161 forensic psychiatric outpatients (FPOs) with severe aggressive behavior. Correlation analysis revealed a limited correspondence between the RPQ and IPAS. Cluster analyses derived three clusters from the RPQ as well as the IPAS: these clusters did not match in 60.3% of the cases. Furthermore, the notion that the RPQ measures trait aggression whereas the IPAS assesses state aggression could not be verified. The present study indicates that aggression subtypes as measured by use of the RPQ and IPAS correspond only partially and should not be used interchangeably. Furthermore, it was suggested that RPQ focuses more on actual aggressive behavior and the IPAS more on emotions and their regulation. Future research is needed to elucidate the applicability of both questionnaires in further detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danique Smeijers
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Suzanne Brugman
- Forensic Psychiatric Centre Pompestichting, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Robbert-Jan Verkes
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Forensic Psychiatric Centre Pompestichting, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Erik Bulten
- Forensic Psychiatric Centre Pompestichting, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Carroll A, McCarthy M, Houghton S, Sanders O'Connor E, Zadow C. Reactive and proactive aggression as meaningful distinctions at the variable and person level in primary school-aged children. Aggress Behav 2018; 44:431-441. [PMID: 29689605 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Reactive and proactive aggression is a dichotomous classification of aggression in adults and children. This distinction has been supported by a number of variable-based and factor analytic studies. Due to high inter-correlations, however, the reactive-proactive aggression distinction may not be entirely useful for understanding how group or individual aggressive behavior varies in children and adolescents. Drawing on a sample of primary school-aged children (N = 242) aged 7-12 years, this study sought to determine whether reactive and proactive aggression could be distinguished at the variable-level and the person-level in children. Exploratory Factor Analysis of data from an aggression instrument measuring both functions and forms of aggression, found a two-factor construct of aggression constituted by a reactive and proactive aggression factor. A person-based analysis was then conducted after classifying children according to the presence of reactive and/or proactive aggression. Discriminant function analysis was used to discern whether classifications on the basis of aggression function produced meaningful distinctions in terms of antisocial traits and emotional valence and intensity measures. Two functions were identified which distinguished children with different combinations of reactive and proactive aggression. Reactive-only aggressive children were defined primarily by high levels of impulsivity, while proactive-only children were defined primarily by higher levels of antisocial traits. Children high in both types of aggression exhibited both the presence of antisocial traits and impulsivity. Contrary to recent findings, this suggests that differences in aggression functions remain meaningful at the person level in children. Implications for interventions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annemaree Carroll
- School of Education, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Molly McCarthy
- School of Education, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Stephen Houghton
- Graduate School of Education, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- School of Psychological Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland
| | | | - Corinne Zadow
- Graduate School of Education, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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Rohlf HL, Holl AK, Kirsch F, Krahé B, Elsner B. Longitudinal Links between Executive Function, Anger, and Aggression in Middle Childhood. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:27. [PMID: 29535615 PMCID: PMC5835083 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research has indicated that executive function (EF) is negatively associated with aggressive behavior in childhood. However, there is a lack of longitudinal studies that have examined the effect of deficits in EF on aggression over time and taken into account different forms and functions of aggression at the same time. Furthermore, only few studies have analyzed the role of underlying variables that may explain the association between EF and aggression. The present study examined the prospective paths between EF and different forms (physical and relational) and functions (reactive and proactive) of aggression. The habitual experience of anger was examined as a potential underlying mechanism of the link between EF and aggression, because the tendency to get angry easily has been found to be both a consequence of deficits in EF and a predictor of aggression. The study included 1,652 children (between 6 and 11 years old at the first time point), who were followed over three time points (T1, T2, and T3) covering 3 years. At T1, a latent factor of EF comprised measures of planning, rated via teacher reports, as well as inhibition, set shifting, and working-memory updating, assessed experimentally. Habitual anger experience was assessed via parent reports at T1 and T2. The forms and functions of aggression were measured via teacher reports at all three time points. Structural equation modeling revealed that EF at T1 predicted physical, relational, and reactive aggression at T3, but was unrelated to proactive aggression at T3. Furthermore, EF at T1 was indirectly linked to physical aggression at T3, mediated through habitual anger experience at T2. The results indicate that deficits in EF influence the later occurrence of aggression in middle childhood, and the tendency to get angry easily mediates this relation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Barbara Krahé
- Department of Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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Abstract
Two major types of aggression, proactive and reactive, are associated with contrasting expression, eliciting factors, neural pathways, development, and function. The distinction is useful for understanding the nature and evolution of human aggression. Compared with many primates, humans have a high propensity for proactive aggression, a trait shared with chimpanzees but not bonobos. By contrast, humans have a low propensity for reactive aggression compared with chimpanzees, and in this respect humans are more bonobo-like. The bimodal classification of human aggression helps solve two important puzzles. First, a long-standing debate about the significance of aggression in human nature is misconceived, because both positions are partly correct. The Hobbes-Huxley position rightly recognizes the high potential for proactive violence, while the Rousseau-Kropotkin position correctly notes the low frequency of reactive aggression. Second, the occurrence of two major types of human aggression solves the execution paradox, concerned with the hypothesized effects of capital punishment on self-domestication in the Pleistocene. The puzzle is that the propensity for aggressive behavior was supposedly reduced as a result of being selected against by capital punishment, but capital punishment is itself an aggressive behavior. Since the aggression used by executioners is proactive, the execution paradox is solved to the extent that the aggressive behavior of which victims were accused was frequently reactive, as has been reported. Both types of killing are important in humans, although proactive killing appears to be typically more frequent in war. The biology of proactive aggression is less well known and merits increased attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard W Wrangham
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
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Kersten L, Vriends N, Steppan M, Raschle NM, Praetzlich M, Oldenhof H, Vermeiren R, Jansen L, Ackermann K, Bernhard A, Martinelli A, Gonzalez-Madruga K, Puzzo I, Wells A, Rogers JC, Clanton R, Baker RH, Grisley L, Baumann S, Gundlach M, Kohls G, Gonzalez-Torres MA, Sesma-Pardo E, Dochnal R, Lazaratou H, Kalogerakis Z, Bigorra Gualba A, Smaragdi A, Siklósi R, Dikeos D, Hervás A, Fernández-Rivas A, De Brito SA, Konrad K, Herpertz-Dahlmann B, Fairchild G, Freitag CM, Popma A, Kieser M, Stadler C. Community Violence Exposure and Conduct Problems in Children and Adolescents with Conduct Disorder and Healthy Controls. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:219. [PMID: 29163090 PMCID: PMC5681536 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to community violence through witnessing or being directly victimized has been associated with conduct problems in a range of studies. However, the relationship between community violence exposure (CVE) and conduct problems has never been studied separately in healthy individuals and individuals with conduct disorder (CD). Therefore, it is not clear whether the association between CVE and conduct problems is due to confounding factors, because those with high conduct problems also tend to live in more violent neighborhoods, i.e., an ecological fallacy. Hence, the aim of the present study was: (1) to investigate whether the association between recent CVE and current conduct problems holds true for healthy controls as well as adolescents with a diagnosis of CD; (2) to examine whether the association is stable in both groups when including effects of aggression subtypes (proactive/reactive aggression), age, gender, site and socioeconomic status (SES); and (3) to test whether proactive or reactive aggression mediate the link between CVE and conduct problems. Data from 1178 children and adolescents (62% female; 44% CD) aged between 9 years and 18 years from seven European countries were analyzed. Conduct problems were assessed using the Kiddie-Schedule of Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia diagnostic interview. Information about CVE and aggression subtypes was obtained using self-report questionnaires (Social and Health Assessment and Reactive-Proactive aggression Questionnaire (RPQ), respectively). The association between witnessing community violence and conduct problems was significant in both groups (adolescents with CD and healthy controls). The association was also stable after examining the mediating effects of aggression subtypes while including moderating effects of age, gender and SES and controlling for effects of site in both groups. There were no clear differences between the groups in the strength of the association between witnessing violence and conduct problems. However, we found evidence for a ceiling effect, i.e., individuals with very high levels of conduct problems could not show a further increase if exposed to CVE and vice versa. Results indicate that there was no evidence for an ecological fallacy being the primary cause of the association, i.e., CVE must be considered a valid risk factor in the etiology of CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Kersten
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Noortje Vriends
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martin Steppan
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nora M. Raschle
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martin Praetzlich
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Helena Oldenhof
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Robert Vermeiren
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Lucres Jansen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Katharina Ackermann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anka Bernhard
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anne Martinelli
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Ignazio Puzzo
- Broadmoor High Secure Hospital, West London Mental Health NHS Trust, Crowthorne, United Kingdom
| | - Amy Wells
- Department of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Jack C. Rogers
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Roberta Clanton
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Rosalind H. Baker
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Liam Grisley
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Baumann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Malou Gundlach
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Gregor Kohls
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | | | | | - Roberta Dochnal
- Faculty of Medicine, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of the Child Health Center, Szeged University, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Helen Lazaratou
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Zacharias Kalogerakis
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Areti Smaragdi
- Center of Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Réka Siklósi
- Faculty of Medicine, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of the Child Health Center, Szeged University, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Dimitris Dikeos
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Amaia Hervás
- University Hospital Mutua Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Kerstin Konrad
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Graeme Fairchild
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Christine M. Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Arne Popma
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Meinhard Kieser
- Institute of Medical Biometry and Informatics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christina Stadler
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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50
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Brown S, Fite PJ, DiPierro M, Bortolato M. Links between stressful life events and proactive and reactive functions of aggression. J Aggress Maltreat Trauma 2017; 26:691-699. [PMID: 31223229 PMCID: PMC6586432 DOI: 10.1080/10926771.2017.1322658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Recently, more attention has been devoted to understanding how stressful life events might relate to proactive and reactive aggression. Findings suggest that stressful life events are more strongly linked to reactive, than proactive, aggression; however, it is unclear whether the impact of stressful life events on proactive and reactive aggression might vary as a function of the level of exposure to or type of stressful life event. The current study examined how level of exposure to stressful life events (i.e., witnessed, experienced, and learned about) and stressful life event types (i.e., war zone exposure, sexual victimization, interpersonal violence, and other trauma exposure) related to proactive and reactive aggression. The sample was comprised of 500 undergraduate students (M = 18.96, SD = 1.22, 49.6% male) recruited from a Midwestern university. Findings indicated that all three levels of stressful life event exposure (i.e., experienced, witnesses, and learned) were associated with reactive aggression; however, only witnessed stressful life events were associated with proactive aggression. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaquanna Brown
- Clinical Child Psychology Program and Consortium for Translational Research on Aggression and Drug Abuse (ConTRADA), University of Kansas, 2009 Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Paula J. Fite
- Clinical Child Psychology Program and Consortium for Translational Research on Aggression and Drug Abuse (ConTRADA), University of Kansas, 2009 Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Moneika DiPierro
- Clinical Child Psychology Program and Consortium for Translational Research on Aggression and Drug Abuse (ConTRADA), University of Kansas, 2009 Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Marco Bortolato
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Utah, and ConTRADA, University of Kansas
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