Response decision processes in relational and overt aggression

Response decision processes of relationally and overtly aggressive children were assessed for both boys and girls. A hypothetical-situation instrument, adapted from past research, was used to assess children's evaluations of relationally aggressive and overtly aggressive responses to both relational and instrumental conflict situations for third-through sixth-grade children (n = 1,166). Findings revealed that both overtly aggressive boys and overtly aggressive girls evaluated overtly aggressive responses to instrumental conflict situations in relatively positive ways. Further, overtly aggressive girls, but not boys, evaluated overtly aggressive responses to relational conflict situations in relatively positive ways. Additionally, relationally aggressive boys evaluated relationally aggressive responses to instrumental conflict situations in relatively positive ways. Gender differences were also obtained. Boys evaluated overt aggression more positively, whereas girls evaluated relational aggression more positively. Implications of these findings for the role of gender, situation type, response type, and aggression type for our understanding of children's social information processing are discussed.     

Developmental trajectories of childhood disruptive behaviors and adolescent delinquency: A six-site, cross-national study.

This study used data from 6 sites and 3 countries to examine the developmental course of physical aggression in childhood and to analyze its linkage to violent and nonviolent offending outcomes in adolescence. The results indicate that among boys there is continuity in problem behavior from childhood to adolescence and that such continuity is especially acute when early problem behavior takes the form of physical aggression. Chronic physical aggression during the elementary school years specifically increases the risk for continued physical violence as well as other nonviolent forms of delinquency during adolescence. However, this conclusion is reserved primarily for boys, because the results indicate no clear linkage between childhood physical aggression and adolescent offending among female samples despite notable similarities across male and female samples in the developmental course of physical aggression in childhood. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dopamine activity in the lateral anterior hypothalamus modulates AAS-induced aggression through D2 but not D5 receptors.

Treatment with anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) throughout adolescence facilitates offensive aggression in Syrian hamsters. In the anterior hypothalamus (AH), the dopaminergic neural system undergoes alterations after repeated exposure to AAS, producing elevated aggression. Previously, systemic administration of selective dopamine receptor antagonists has been shown to reduce aggression in various species and animal models. However, these reductions in aggression occur with concomitant alterations in general arousal and mobility. Therefore, to control for these systemic effects, the current studies utilized microinjection techniques to determine the effects of local antagonism of D2 and D5 receptors in the AH on adolescent AAS-induced aggression. Male Syrian hamsters were treated with AAS throughout adolescence and tested for aggression after local infusion of the D2 antagonist eticlopride, or the D5 antagonist SCH-23390, into the AH. Treatment with eticlopride showed dose-dependent suppression of aggressive behavior in the absence of changes in mobility. Conversely, while injection of SCH-23390 suppressed aggressive behavior, these reductions were met with alterations in social interest and locomotor behavior. To elucidate a plausible mechanism for the observed D5 receptor mediation of AAS-induced aggression, brains of AAS and sesame oil-treated animals were processed for double-label immunofluorescence of GAD?? (a marker for GABA production) and D5 receptors in the lateral subdivision of the AH (LAH). Results indicate a sparse distribution of GAD?? neurons colocalized with D5 receptors in the LAH. Together, these results indicate that D5 receptors in the LAH modulate non-GABAergic pathways that indirectly influence aggression control, while D2 receptors have a direct influence on AAS-induced aggression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Serotonin Type 3 Receptors Modulate the Aggression-Stimulating Effects of Adolescent Cocaine Exposure in Syrian Hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus).

Repeated cocaine (0.5 mg/kg) exposure throughout adolescence stimulates offensive aggression in hamsters. These studies examined whether the cocaine-induced aggressive response was regulated by serotonin Type 3 (5-HT?) receptor activity and correlated with altered 5-HT? receptor expression. Cocaine-treated Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) were tested for aggression after the administration of either the 5-HT? antagonist 3-tropanylindole-3-carboxylate methiodide (tropisetron; 0.01-1.20 mg/kg) or the 5-HT? agonist l-(m-chlorophenyl)-biguanide hydrochloride (mCPBG; 5.0-15.0 mg/kg), alone or in combination. Tropisetron alone dose dependently reduced cocaine-induced aggression, with a significant reduction at 0.3 mg/kg, whereas mCPBG was ineffective. mCPBG administered prior to tropisetron required a higher dose (1.2 mg/kg) of antagonist to block aggression, indicating a selective 5-HT? effect. Cocaine-treated hamsters showed altered 5-HT? immunoreactivity in several brain areas implicated in aggression control. These data support a role for 5-HT? receptors in adolescent cocaine-induced aggression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Anabolic-androgenic steroid exposure during adolescence and aggressive behavior in golden hamsters

Anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) abuse by adolescents represents a significant health care risk due to the potential for long-term negative physical and psychological sequelae, including increased aggressive behavior. The current experiments examined the effects of AAS use in young male adolescent hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) and their consequences on aggressive behavior. It was hypothesized that AAS administration during adolescence predisposes hamsters to heightened levels of aggressive behavior (i.e., offensive aggression). To test this hypothesis adolescent male hamsters were administered high doses of synthetic AAS to mimic a 'heavy use' self-administration regimen used by athletes. Immediately following the exposure to AAS hamsters were tested for aggressive behavior using a resident-intruder model. Animals treated with high doses of AAS during their adolescent development showed heightened measures of offensive aggression i.e., decreased latency to bite and increased total number of attacks and bites) during the test period, while measures of total activity (total contact time) between the animals remained unchanged. AAS-treated males did not differ in body weight from controls, suggesting that the increased aggression was not due to increased body mass. The results of this study show that exposure to AAS during adolescence facilitates aggressive response patterns, but does not alter body weight.     

Intergenerational transmission of relationship aggression: A prospective longitudinal study.

The present study examined whether physical and verbal aggression in the family of origin were associated with similar patterns of aggression in young adult couples. Hypotheses were tested using a sample of 213 focal individuals who were followed from adolescence to adulthood. Results suggested that aggression in the family when focal participants were adolescents predicted aggression with romantic partners when participants were adults. The association between interparental aggression and later aggression in adult romantic unions was partially mediated through parents' aggression to focal participants when they were adolescents. Both physical and verbal aggression revealed the same pattern of findings. All together, these findings are consistent with a developmental-interactional perspective (Capaldi & Gorman-Smith, 2003) concerning the developmental origins of aggression in intimate relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reflection–impulsivity and social reasoning.

28 reflective and 27 impulsive (determined by the Matching Familiar Figures Test) 2nd-grade males (mean IQ, as indexed by the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, 110.4) were administered a social-reasoning task consisting of 6 social-conflict situations. Measures were taken of the types of responses to conflict that Ss considered to be most appropriate and also of decision latencies. Impulsive Ss considered the responses of yielding and appealing to authority to be appropriate responses to social conflict more frequently than did the reflective Ss, whereas the reflective Ss viewed assertion and physical aggression to be more appropriate than did impulsive Ss. Impulsive Ss also responded somewhat more quickly than the reflective Ss. Teacher ratings on the School Behavior Checklist yielded no differences between the 2 cognitive-style groups on measures of aggression, anxiety, need achievement, extraversion, academic disability, or hostile isolation. The fact that the reflective Ss evidenced a more direct approach than the impulsive Ss on the social-reasoning task is consistent with cognitive-style differences that have been found on nonsocial problem-solving tasks. Findings extend the potential relevance of the reflection–implusivity dimension to social reasoning. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Serotonin-1B receptor activity and expression modulate the aggression-stimulating effects of adolescent anabolic steroid exposure in hamsters.

Repeated high dose (5.0 mg/kg) anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) exposure during adolescence stimulates offensive aggression in male Syrian hamsters. These studies examined whether AAS-induced aggression was regulated by the activity of serotonin (5HT) type-1B receptors and correlated with altered 5HT1B expression. AAS-treated hamsters were tested for offensive aggression following the administration of the 5HT1B agonist anpirtoline (0.125-0.5 mg/kg). Anpirtoline dose-dependently reduced select components of the AAS-induced aggressive response, with significant reductions observed at 0.25 mg/kg. Aggressive, AAS-treated hamsters showed significant decreases in the area covered by 5HT1B-containing neuronal puncta and increases in the number of 5HT1B-containing neuronal somata in select brain regions implicated in aggression control. Together, these data support a role for site-specific alterations in 5HT1B signaling and expression in adolescent AAS-induced aggression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adolescent and family predictors of physical aggression, communication, and satisfaction in young adult couples: A prospective analysis.

This study tested a model wherein the family conflict, depression, and antisocial behavior of 254 adolescents (mean age?=?17 years; 63% female) are prospectively related to functioning within a marital (51 %) or dating relationship in young adulthood (mean age?=?23 years). Family aversive communication in adolescence and adolescent antisocial behavior predicted couple physical aggression. Family aversive communication predicted dyadic satisfaction and aversive couple communication for married women and dating men. Among those with partners who reported little antisocial behavior, adolescent antisocial behavior inversely predicted couple satisfaction and facilitative behavior. Partner antisocial behavior did not mediate the relation between adolescent characteristics and couple functioning. Findings emphasize the importance of the early family environment and psychopathology of the adolescent in the development of adaptive couple relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex Differences in Aggression in Real-World Settings: A Meta-Analytic Review.

Meta-analytic reviews of sex differences in aggression from real-world settings are described. They cover self-reports, observations, peer reports, and teacher reports of overall direct, physical, verbal, and indirect forms of aggression, as well as (for self-reports) trait anger. Findings are related to sexual selection theory and social role theory. Direct, especially physical, aggression was more common in males and females at all ages sampled, was consistent across cultures, and occurred from early childhood on, showing a peak between 20 and 30 years. Anger showed no sex differences. Higher female indirect aggression was limited to later childhood and adolescence and varied with method of measurement. The overall pattern indicated males' greater use of costly methods of aggression rather than a threshold difference in anger. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Two new measures of attitudes about the acceptability of teen dating aggression.

Aggression in dating relationships is associated with attitudes that justify its use. Attitudes about dating aggression are targeted by prevention efforts, contributing to a need to measure these attitudes sensitively, accurately, and multidimensionally. We describe two new measures of attitudes about aggression, each tapping different attitudinal components, and compare their psychometric properties with an existing scale. The 1st assesses attitudes about physical aggression in provocative situations. The 2nd taps attitudes about verbally aggressive, controlling, and jealous tactics against a dating partner. Data from 2,313 high school students were factor analyzed and cross-validated for each new scale. Compared with an existing measure, the scales had comparable levels of reliability and validity and improved response distributions. A 2nd-order factor analysis lends support to a multidimensional view of attitudes about dating aggression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Aggression toward female partners by at-risk young men: The contribution of male adolescent friendships.

Deviancy training was examined as a risk factor for physical and psychological aggression toward a female partner among boys and young men in the Oregon Youth Study. Hostile talk about women during videotaped male friendship interactions was hypothesized to indicate a process by which aggression toward women is reinforced within male peer networks. Both antisocial behavior and hostile talk were predicted to be associated with later aggression toward a female partner. Prospective developmental models were tested from 9–10 years of age through young adulthood. Findings indicated that the relation of deviant peer association in adolescence and later aggression toward a partner was mediated by antisocial behavior; observed hostile talk about women with male peers explained additional variance in aggression toward a partner. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Aggression and hostility in substance abusers: the relationship to abuse patterns, coping style, and relapse triggers

A cohort of 3,367 substance abusers seeking treatment were administered measures of aggression and hostility including the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory and the NEO Personality Inventory Hostility Scale. Polysubstance abusers scored significantly higher on all measures of hostility and aggression, regardless of whether they abused cocaine or not. Subjects scoring higher on aggression and hostility utilized escape-avoidance, distancing, and confrontational coping styles more regularly. Subjects scoring higher on measures of aggression and hostility reported more situations that triggered their use of substances and less confidence that they could resist using when faced with such situations in the future. This was especially true for situations involving unpleasant internal states, situations involving rejection, and situations involving conflict with family and friends. The implications of these findings for clinical assessment and treatment planning are discussed.     

Executive cognitive functioning, alcohol, and aggression: Comment on Giancola (2000).

Comments on the article by P. R. Giancola (see record 2000-02949-013) that provides a theoretical framework for the analysis of the effects of alcohol on human aggression. He proposes that alcohol increases aggression through a disruption of executive cognitive functioning (ECF). The present article argues that the hypothetical construct ECF is neither necessary nor sufficient condition to explain aggression following alcohol drinking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived victimization moderates self-reports of workplace aggression and conflict.

A sample of 489 employed men between 32 and 36 years old responded to questions concerning rates of having engaged in workplace aggression and conflict. These individuals also completed a personality inventory and questionnaires related to past antisocial behavior and alcohol abuse. Consistent with prior research, workplace aggression and conflict were significantly correlated with particular personality variables (stress reaction, aggression, and control) as well as with general past antisocial behavior and alcohol abuse. Furthermore, these relationships were moderated by the perception of being victimized by others (alienation), with such perceptions strengthening associations between workplace aggression and other risk factors. These interaction effects, which cannot plausibly be attributed to the use of a self-report criterion, could have important implications for understanding and predicting aggression and conflict behavior within organizations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Associations among experiential avoidance, couple adjustment, and interpersonal aggression in returning Iraqi war veterans and their partners.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of experiential avoidance (EA) in relationship adjustment, psychological aggression, and physical aggression among military couples. Method: The sample was composed of 49 male soldiers who recently returned from deployment to Iraq and their female partners. As part of a larger study, participants completed self-report measures of emotional avoidance (EA; Acceptance and Action Questionnaire–II), relationship adjustment (Dyadic Adjustment Scale), and conflict (Conflict Tactics Scale–2). Data from men and women were simultaneously modeled with the actor–partner interdependence model. Results: Men's EA was associated with decreases in relationship adjustment and increases in physical aggression perpetration and victimization. For women, relationship adjustment was not associated with EA, but greater EA among women was associated with decreased relationship adjustment for male partners. Associations among EA and psychological aggression were nonsignificant. Conclusions: These data provide evidence that EA may play a critical role in the relationships of couples following deployment and highlight the importance of targeting EA in couple therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interparental Conflict and Adolescent Dating Relationships: Integrating Cognitive, Emotional, and Peer Influences.

This study investigated the ways in which exposure to interparental conflict may affect adolescent dating relationships in a sample of 391 adolescents ages 14 to 18 years. Boys exposed to greater parental discord were more likely to view aggression as justifiable in a romantic relationship, had more difficulty managing anger, and believed that aggressive behavior was more common in their peers' dating relationships. Each of these variables in turn linked witnessing interparental conflict to higher levels of verbal and physical aggression toward their own romantic partners. Interparental conflict was not related to girls' aggressive behavior. These data support the value of targeting cognitive and emotional processes in prevention programs designed to reduce dating violence and suggest that such programs will be strengthened by focusing on peer influences as well. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Making sense of family conflict: Intimate partner violence and preschoolers’ externalizing problems.

This research examines relations among parental intimate partner violence (IPV), preschoolers’ narrative coherence about family conflict situations, and preschoolers’ externalizing problems. Participants were 57 mothers and their 4- to 5-year-old children. Mothers provided data on IPV and children’s externalizing problems. Narrative coherence was coded from children’s play narratives in response to story stems from the MacArthur Story Stem Battery. Results are consistent with theory suggesting that exposure to IPV may adversely affect preschoolers’ ability to understand family conflict situations in an organized manner, which in turn may contribute to their externalizing problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)