Modeling state- and trait-level associations between aggression, somatic symptoms, substance use, and distress tolerance

Abstract

The current study examined the state- and trait-level associations of psychological and physical aggression to somatic symptoms, and alcohol and drug use and tested the influence of distress tolerance on these associations, while controlling for stress, sex, and minority status. A naturalistic observation was used to collect data with a sample of 245 college students at three time points with 2 weeks apart. Random-intercept cross-lagged panel models were used to disaggregate within-person effects (autoregressive and cross-lagged effects) from the between-person (latent trait-level) associations. The findings revealed that there were autoregressive effects of psychological aggression between Time 1 (T1) and Time 2 (T2) and of physical aggression between T1 and T2. There was a bidirectional association between psychological aggression and somatic symptoms at T2 and Time 3 (T3), in which T2 psychological aggression predicted T3 somatic symptoms and verse vera. T1 drug use predicted T2 physical aggression, which in turn predicted T3 somatic symptoms, indicating physical aggression being a mediator between earlier drug use and later somatic symptoms. Distress tolerance was negatively associated with psychological aggression and somatic symptoms, respectively, and such an influence did not differ across time occasions. The findings indicated the importance of incorporating physical health in the prevention and intervention of psychological aggression. Clinicians may also consider including psychological aggression in the screening of somatic symptoms or physical health. Empirical-supported therapy components for enhancing distress tolerance may help mitigate psychological aggression and somatic symptoms.