{"title":"Mediating effects of impulsivity and alexithymia in the association between traumatic brain injury and aggression in incarcerated males","authors":"Jochem M. Jansen","doi":"10.1002/ab.22101","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ab.22101","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Studies suggest both alexithymia and impulsivity (partially) explain aggressive behavior in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients, but none of these studies use both questionnaire and performance-based measures as recommended, nor simultaneously investigate both impulsivity and alexithymia. The available studies therefore likely miss part of the constructs of alexithymia and impulsivity, and do not comprehensively assess the mediating effects of both constructs in the relationship between TBI and aggression. A sample of <i>N</i> = 281 incarcerated individuals were recruited from Dutch penitentiary institutions, and completed the Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire (aggression), BIS-11 (impulsivity) and Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (alexithymia) questionnaires, as well as a stop-signal task and an emotion recognition paradigm. Several multiple mediation analyses were conducted using structural equation modelling, to assess the viability of a causal theoretical model of aggression. The final planned models were the original models with a good fit with the data (comparative fit index > 0.95, root mean square error of approximation and Standardized root mean square residual < 0.05), and results indicate that only questionnaire-based impulsivity mediated the relationship between TBI and aggression. TBI was unrelated to alexithymia, stop-signal or emotion recognition performance. Aggression was predicted by both alexithymia and impulsivity, but not by the performance measures. Post hoc analyses shows that alexithymia moderates the relationship between impulsivity and aggression. These results imply that aggressive incarcerated individuals showing impulsive behavior should be screened for TBI, since TBI is often overlooked or misdiagnosed, and indicate that both impulsivity and alexithymia are potential focus points for aggression reduction treatment in TBI patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":50842,"journal":{"name":"Aggressive Behavior","volume":"49 6","pages":"629-642"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2023-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ab.22101","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9812022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Erin Ruth Baker, Jamie Gahtan, Sumaita Binta Salim, Rong Huang
{"title":"Multidimensional profiles of Head Start children's social behaviors predict their interpretations of physical aggression","authors":"Erin Ruth Baker, Jamie Gahtan, Sumaita Binta Salim, Rong Huang","doi":"10.1002/ab.22099","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ab.22099","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Preschool children's reasoning regarding moral events differs according to adversity and relates to aggression. Understanding morality in young children is paramount for understanding their aggressive behaviors. The study aims to identify patterns of aggression and prosocial behavior using Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and investigate how patterns of aggression and prosocial behavior relate to reasoning about prototypic moral events. One hundred six children (<i>M</i><sub>age</sub> = 4.40 years old, SD = 0.55 years old, Range: 3.08–5.33 years old, 51% boys) enrolled in Head Start programs and their caregivers participated. In the fall caregivers completed surveys on forms (i.e., the manifestation of behavior) and functions of aggression (i.e., motivation of behavior), and prosocial behavior. The following spring children completed two moral reasoning tasks that measured children's judgment and reasoning of harm, and their attributions of transgressors' reasoning. The LCA revealed a 3-class solution: (1) high levels of relational aggression and moderate levels of prosocial behavior (<i>bistrategic controllers</i>), (2) low levels of both aggression and average prosocial behavior (<i>uninvolved</i>), (3) high levels of all types of aggression and low levels of prosocial behavior (<i>high aggression</i>). Subsequent analyses suggest that uninvolved children prioritize adhering to authority over other concerns, and bistrategic controllers focused on goal-oriented reasoning. Overall, our findings support that recognizing patterns of behavior may be useful in understanding children's moral reasoning.</p>","PeriodicalId":50842,"journal":{"name":"Aggressive Behavior","volume":"49 6","pages":"616-628"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2023-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10124215","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mensah P. Osiesi, Kamorudeen T. Sanni, Sylvan Blignaut, Sunday A. Adeniran, Basirat O. Dikko, Olutoyin O. Fajobi, Adebolu F. Adekoya, Esther C. Udemba, Sikeade M. Adegboyega
{"title":"Psychosocial factors as predictors of aggressive behaviors among primary school learners","authors":"Mensah P. Osiesi, Kamorudeen T. Sanni, Sylvan Blignaut, Sunday A. Adeniran, Basirat O. Dikko, Olutoyin O. Fajobi, Adebolu F. Adekoya, Esther C. Udemba, Sikeade M. Adegboyega","doi":"10.1002/ab.22098","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ab.22098","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The study investigated psychosocial factors as predictors of aggressive behaviors among primary school learners in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The study used a survey research design. All public primary school learners in Ekiti State formed the target population. A sample size of one thousand three hundred and fifty (1350) respondents was selected using a multistage sampling procedure, consisting of 641 males (47.5%) and 709 females (52.5%), ages 9–13 years, who participated in the study. A self-report instrument tagged “Learners' Aggressive Behaviours Questionnaire” (<i>α</i> indexes of .81, .70, .77, and .84 for the four components respectively) was used for data collection. The data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis at a 5% level of significance. The empirical findings revealed that parenting styles, peer influence, and self-control significantly predicted learners' aggressive behavior. Recommendations for curbing aggressive behavior among learners were highlighted.</p>","PeriodicalId":50842,"journal":{"name":"Aggressive Behavior","volume":"49 6","pages":"602-615"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2023-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9730715","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Modeling state- and trait-level associations between aggression, somatic symptoms, substance use, and distress tolerance","authors":"Yang Yang","doi":"10.1002/ab.22096","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ab.22096","url":null,"abstract":"<p>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.</p>","PeriodicalId":50842,"journal":{"name":"Aggressive Behavior","volume":"49 6","pages":"580-594"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2023-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ab.22096","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9741878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lana Bojanić, Alison Baird, Kosturika Ash, Jenny Shaw
{"title":"Homicide as the first conviction: A retrospective cohort study","authors":"Lana Bojanić, Alison Baird, Kosturika Ash, Jenny Shaw","doi":"10.1002/ab.22097","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ab.22097","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The association between previous convictions and perpetrating homicide has been previously described but little is known about the characteristics of homicide offenders without previous convictions. By utilizing the unique database on homicide offenders held by the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health, this study aimed to describe the sample of homicide perpetrators in England and Wales who have committed homicide as their first offense based on their sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Compared with those with previous convictions, homicide offenders without previous convictions were more likely to be female and a member of an ethnic minority group. More of those without previous convictions belonged to the youngest (<25) and oldest (>55) age groups and were more likely to kill somebody family member or a spouse. Schizophrenia and other delusional disorders as well as affective disorders were more prevalent in those without previous convictions as were mental illness/insanity as a circumstance in homicide, but those without previous convictions were less likely to have been in previous contact with mental health services. There are clear sociodemographic and clinical differences between homicide perpetrators with and without previous convictions. Implications of these findings are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":50842,"journal":{"name":"Aggressive Behavior","volume":"49 6","pages":"595-601"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2023-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ab.22097","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9782898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Machiavellian bully revisited: A closer look at differences and processes of Machiavellian bullying and cyberbullying perpetration","authors":"Christian Blötner, Sebastian Bergold","doi":"10.1002/ab.22095","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ab.22095","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Numerous studies on personality traits conducive to traditional bullying and cyberbullying mentioned <i>Machiavellianism</i> as an influential predictor of these behaviors. Machiavellianism comprises manipulative, egotistic orientations that help acquire desired outcomes. However, it is questionable whether bullying and cyberbullying reflect unidimensional constructs since they are frequently categorized into verbal, relational, and physical aspects (with the latter being applicable only in traditional bullying). Similarly, evidence suggests that Machiavellianism is not a uniform trait. In this research, using a sample of 634 students (339 girls; 54%) from 40 classes from eighth to tenth grades, a five-dimensional measure of bullying and cyberbullying was devised and suggested that aspects of (cyber)bullying are related but still separable. Subsequently, differential relations between the five forms of (cyber)bullying and two facets of Machiavellianism were modeled. Those facets were <i>Machiavellian approach</i> (i.e., manipulative aspects of Machiavellianism) and <i>Machiavellian avoidance</i> (i.e., distrustful aspects of Machiavellianism). Multilevel models revealed that Machiavellian approach predicted relational bullying (but not relational cyberbullying) and Machiavellian avoidance predicted verbal (cyber)bullying and physical bullying. All links were mediated by overt dehumanization, that is, the tendency to cognitively deprive a person of typically human characteristics.</p>","PeriodicalId":50842,"journal":{"name":"Aggressive Behavior","volume":"49 6","pages":"568-579"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2023-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ab.22095","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10042281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Samuel J. West, Ariel M. Wood, Michel B. Aboutanos, Nicholas D. Thomson
{"title":"Exploring changes in violence across two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Richmond, VA","authors":"Samuel J. West, Ariel M. Wood, Michel B. Aboutanos, Nicholas D. Thomson","doi":"10.1002/ab.22094","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ab.22094","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 <p>The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic carried with it an increase in violence in the United States and abroad. The proportion of violence cases involving firearms also increased during this time, yet little research has examined these effects using data from the second wave of COVID infections. Explanations for these documented increases in gun violence put forward by scholars include increased firearm purchases, alcohol consumption, unemployment, and organized crime activity. The current work examined these trends in Richmond, VA. We collected data on patients (<i>N</i> = 1744) presenting with violent injuries from 2018 to 2022 from the emergency department of a Level-1 Trauma Center in Richmond, VA. Data were coded on the basis of whether they presented before the pandemic, during the first wave, or during the second wave. Logistic binomial regressions revealed that the risk of gunshot wounds increased by 32% during the first wave and 44% during the second wave, relative to the pre-COVID period, but that the increase between the first and second wave was not significant. These findings held after controlling for victim age, race, sex, and injury severity. Further analyses revealed that these effects were specific to violent injury, as we found no increase in firearm use among self-injury cases. The heightened violence reported during the COVID-19 pandemic was also observed in Richmond, VA. Gun violence in particular increased over time as other forms of violence (i.e., assaults, stabbings, and self-harm) decreased.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50842,"journal":{"name":"Aggressive Behavior","volume":"49 6","pages":"559-567"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2023-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ab.22094","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9637147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Violent video game exposure and bullying perpetration among Chinese adolescents: The moderating role of belief in a just world","authors":"Xingwu Lei, Qian Nie, Chun Chen, Zhaojun Teng","doi":"10.1002/ab.22093","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ab.22093","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Exposure to violent video games is associated with aggressive behaviors among adolescents. However, not all adolescents who play violent video games demonstrate bullying behaviors. Based on the General Aggression Model (GAM), this cross-sectional study examined the interactive effect of individuals (i.e., belief in a just world [BJW]) and situational factors (i.e., violent video game exposure [VVGE]) on bullying perpetration. Using a representative sample of 4250 adolescents from five secondary schools in Southwest China (54.4% males, <i>M</i><sub>age</sub> = 15.14, SD = 1.5 years old), we examined the moderating role of BJW in the relationship between VVGE and bullying perpetration. The results suggest that VVGE is significantly and positively associated with bullying perpetration. Moreover, after controlling for covariates, general and personal BJW interact with the situational variable (i.e., VVGE) to predict bullying perpetration among Chinese adolescents. The positive effect of VVGE on bullying perpetration is lower among adolescents with high general and personal BJW than among adolescents with low BJW. The findings support the GAM theory and highlight the buffering role of BJW in the effect of VVGE on bullying perpetration.</p>","PeriodicalId":50842,"journal":{"name":"Aggressive Behavior","volume":"49 6","pages":"701-709"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2023-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9613832","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Arie W. Kruglanski, Molly Ellenberg, Ewa Szumowska, Erica Molinario, Anne Speckhard, N. Pontus Leander, Antonio Pierro, Gabriele Di Cicco, Brad J. Bushman
{"title":"Frustration–aggression hypothesis reconsidered: The role of significance quest","authors":"Arie W. Kruglanski, Molly Ellenberg, Ewa Szumowska, Erica Molinario, Anne Speckhard, N. Pontus Leander, Antonio Pierro, Gabriele Di Cicco, Brad J. Bushman","doi":"10.1002/ab.22092","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ab.22092","url":null,"abstract":"<p>One of the oldest scientific theories of human aggression is the frustration–aggression hypothesis, advanced in 1939. Although this theory has received considerable empirical support and is alive and well today, its underlying mechanisms have not been adequately explored. In this article, we examine major findings and concepts from extant psychological research on hostile aggression and offer an integrative conception: aggression is a primordial means for establishing one's sense of significance and mattering, thus addressing a fundamental social-psychological need. Our functional portrayal of aggression as a means to significance yields four testable hypotheses: (1) frustration will elicit hostile aggression proportionately to the extent that the frustrated goal serves the individual's need for significance, (2) the impulse to aggress in response to significance loss will be enhanced in conditions that limit the individual's ability to reflect and engage in extensive information processing (that may bring up alternative, socially condoned means to significance), (3) significance-reducing frustration will elicit hostile aggression unless the impulse to aggress is substituted by a nonaggressive means of significance restoration, (4) apart from significance loss, an opportunity for significance gain can increase the impulse to aggress. These hypotheses are supported by extant data as well as novel research findings in real-world contexts. They have important implications for understanding human aggression and the conditions under which it is likely to be manifested and reduced.</p>","PeriodicalId":50842,"journal":{"name":"Aggressive Behavior","volume":"49 5","pages":"445-468"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2023-06-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ab.22092","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10318166","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Childhood maltreatment and homicidal ideation among Chinese early adolescents: The serial mediating role of borderline personality features and aggression","authors":"Yonghan Li, Xiaoman Huang, Mengyuan Yuan, Junjie Chang, Tingting Zhang, Gengfu Wang, Puyu Su","doi":"10.1002/ab.22091","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ab.22091","url":null,"abstract":"<p>A large body of evidence linked childhood maltreatment (CM) to juvenile violence and delinquent behavior. However, little is known about the association between CM and homicidal ideation in early adolescents. This study aimed to examine that relationship and to explore the serial mediating role of borderline personality features (BPF) and aggression in that relationship in a large sample of early adolescents. A total of 5724 early adolescents (mean age: 13.5 years) were recruited from three middle schools in Anhui Province, China. The participants were invited to complete self-report questionnaires regarding their history of CM, BPF, aggression, and homicidal ideation. Mediation analyses were evaluated using structural equation modeling. A total of 669 participants (11.7%) reported homicidal ideation in the past 6 months. CM victimization was positively associated with homicidal ideation after adjusting for covariates. Furthermore, the serial mediation analysis showed a significant indirect effect of CM on homicidal ideation through BPF and subsequent aggression. Exposure to maltreatment in childhood is likely to manifest BPF and subsequently higher levels of aggression, which in turn are related to increased homicidal ideation. These findings suggest the need for early intervention for BPF and aggression in early adolescents exposed to CM to prevent the development of homicidal ideation.</p>","PeriodicalId":50842,"journal":{"name":"Aggressive Behavior","volume":"49 5","pages":"536-546"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2023-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10093825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}