Revealing the nuanced associations between facets of trait impulsivity and reactive and proactive aggression

Perpetration of Adolescent Dating Violence: Child Abuse, Attitudes, Impulsivity, Reactive and Proactive Aggression; Automatic or Complex Processes?

Adolescent dating violence (ADV) research has neglected the environmental factors at play in contexts of perpetration. This study, conducted in Chile, investigated the socio-cognitive processes inherent to the relationship between child abuse and ADV perpetration by examining the association between child abuse, impulsivity, reactive aggression, proactive aggression, attitudes that rationalize or justify ADV, and actual ADV perpetration. Data were collected from 655 adolescents using self-reported measures of child abuse, impulsivity, reactive and proactive aggression, attitudes justifying ADV, and ADV perpetration using structural equation modeling. Having experienced child abuse predicted higher levels of impulsivity, which in turn predicted higher levels of aggressive traits, both for reactive and proactive aggression. Proactive aggression predicted higher levels of ADV perpetration, whereas reactive aggression did not. While we did not find that child abuse predicted a greater propensity for ADV, nor that such a disposition indicated a higher level of proactive aggression by influencing ADV perpetration, we did find that a positive attitude toward ADV predicted a higher frequency of ADV perpetration. Our results suggest that the socio-cognitive process underlying ADV involves automatic and complex processes stemming from child abuse, thus linking environmental and individual factors.

What does metaphoric language say about aggression? The relationships between metaphoric language, impulsivity, and aggression

Aggressive behavior among adolescents has been identified as a serious worldwide problem, especially when combined with trait impulsivity. This study investigates the impact of an overlooked aspect of language, namely, metaphor comprehension, on impulsivity and aggression in adolescents. A total of 204 adolescents completed self-reported questionnaires assessing impulsivity and aggression and underwent tests assessing familiar and less familiar metaphor comprehension. The findings reveal inverse relationships between metaphor comprehension and both impulsivity and aggression. Regarding aggression, notable distinctions were observed in the correlations between familiar and less familiar metaphors with specific aggression types. Additionally, impulsivity was found to mediate the relationship between the comprehension of familiar metaphors and aggression. These results are elucidated in the context of cognitive and executive functions, emphasizing the significance of considering metaphor comprehension as a cognitive process capable of modulating aggressive behavior.

The Effect of Childhood Poly-Victimization on Adulthood Aggression: The Mediating Role of Different Impulsivity Traits

This study investigated the effect of the poly-victimization pattern of traumatic childhood experiences on aggression via the impulsivity traits positive urgency, negative urgency, lack of perseverance, lack of premeditation, and sensation-seeking in 102 poly-victims of childhood trauma (71.57% were females; Mage = 35.76; SDage = 15.91). Analyses with poly-victimization as an independent variable, impulsivity traits as parallel mediators, (1) reactive aggression or (2) proactive aggression as dependent variables, and gender as a covariate revealed that the poly-victimization did not have a direct or indirect effect on reactive or proactive aggression, nor did it have an effect on any of the impulsivity traits. Moreover, lack of premeditation had a positive direct effect on reactive aggression, while gender was a significant covariate in both models, with males reporting more aggression than females. Findings suggest that the poly-victimization does not influence impulsivity traits and aggression in adulthood. However, in males, the poly-victimization had a positive and moderate correlation with reactive aggression and negative urgency, while these correlations were absent in females. This finding implies that males are more vulnerable to the adverse effects of childhood poly-victimization than females.

Does sports participation affect the mediating role of impulsivity in the association between adverse childhood experiences and aggression?

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.

Validity and Reliability of a Revised S-UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale: The Interplay between Impulsivity and Working Memory

Impulsivity is a multidimensional construct. The UPPS-P model of impulsivity differentiates five distinct dimensions: negative urgency, positive urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking. The present study, reports the first translation and validation of the recently revised short form of the UPPS-P scale (S-UPPS-P) on a Persian-speaking sample, examining the relationship between impulsivity and working memory. who also completed the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), the Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire, the Behavioral Inhibition and Activation Scales (BIS/BAS), and the Wechsler Digit Span Task (WDST). A series of confirmatory factor analyses, and Cronbach's alpha results supported the factor structure of the scale. The findings supported the S-UPPS-P model's hypothesized correlations with PANAS, aggressiveness, and the construct validity of the model. The results of hierarchical regression analysis showed that backward and forward digit span scores of the WDST predicted the S-UPPS-P impulsivity scores over the portion explained by BIS/BAS, PANAS, and aggression scores. To conclude, the revised S-UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale was well supported even in a very different population than usually sampled, adding to growing evidence that it assesses distinct but interrelated aspects of the impulsivity construct. Our findings also suggest that attentional capacities and working memory play important roles in the prediction of impulsivity.

Cross-cultural Validity of the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire Among Adults Across Five Countries

This study aims to test psychometric properties and factor invariance of the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ) for adults across five countries: Serbia (N = 409), Mauritius (N = 400), the United States (N = 389), the Netherlands (N = 372), and China (N = 325). The results supported the two-factor structure across country samples, with a marginal model fit in Mauritius. Results also supported the congruent factor structure of Reactive Aggression scale across countries, while the Proactive Aggression scale can be considered as equal across samples from Serbia, the United States, and China, but not from Mauritius and the Netherland. Among items from the Proactive Aggression scale, those referring to open aggression aimed at obtaining social status and dominance, frightening or harming others, obtained the highest loadings across all samples and could be considered as the good representatives of adult proactive aggression. This is the first study in which cross-cultural validation of the RPQ among adults has been tested and results suggested that there are some cultural differences in expression of proactive aggression.

Personality as a Possible Intervention Target to Prevent Traumatic Events in Adolescence

Traumatic events (severe injury, violence, threatened death) are commonly experienced by children. Such events are associated with a dose-response increasing risk of subsequent substance use, mental illness, chronic disease, and premature mortality. Preventing the accumulation of traumatic events is thus an urgent public health priority. Substance use risk personality profiles (impulsivity, sensation seeking, hopelessness, and anxiety sensitivity) may be an important target for preventing trauma exposure, given associations between these personality traits and risky behaviour, substance misuse, and injuries across adolescence. The current study aimed to investigate associations between personality at age 13 and the number of traumatic events experienced by age 18. It also examined associations between traumas before age 13 and personality at age 13. Participants were the control group of a cluster-randomised controlled trial examining prevention of adolescent alcohol misuse. Baseline data were collected at ages 12–13 (2012). Participants were followed-up at ages 18–19 (2017–2018). Personality profiles of hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity, and sensation seeking were measured at baseline using the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale. Traumatic events and age of exposure were measured at age 18–19 using the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5. Mixed-effect regression was conducted on 287 participants in Stata 17, controlling for sex. High scores on hopelessness, impulsivity, and sensation seeking at age 13 were associated with a greater number of traumatic events by age 18. Impulsivity and sensation seeking predicted the number of new traumatic events from age 13 to 18. Prior trauma exposure was associated with high hopelessness at age 13. Adolescents exhibiting high impulsivity or sensation seeking may be at greater risk of experiencing traumatic events. Additionally, early trauma exposure may contribute to the development of a hopelessness personality trait.

The Impact of Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory on Aggressive Behavior

Why some people, and not others, exhibit aggression remains unknown. Research points to certain personality traits being linked to either proactive or reactive aggression, or both. The current study attempts to address these gaps from the perspective of revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (rRST). Using 146 participants, results revealed Behavioral Approach System (BAS)-Impulsivity and the Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) predicted proactive and reactive aggression. Defensive Fight predicted reactive aggression. BAS-Impulsivity predicted proactive aggression partially mediated by Social Dominance Orientation. These findings suggest proactive and reactive aggression are motivated by a combination of anxiety and rapid, approach-motivational personality traits. This study provides further understanding of the specific relations between rRST and aggression, is integrated into the general aggression model, and has implications for treatment of aggressive individuals.

Parsing Associations Between Dimensions of Empathy and Reactive and Proactive Aggression

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.

The longitudinal relationship between angry rumination and reactive-proactive aggression and the moderation effect of consideration of future consequences-immediate

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.

Does state self-control depletion predict relationship functioning and partner aggression? An ecological momentary assessment study of community couples

Intimate relationship functioning depends upon the ability to accommodate one's partner and to inhibit retaliatory and aggressive impulses when disagreements arise. However, accommodation and inhibition may be difficult when self-control strength is weak or depleted by prior exertion of self-control. The present study considered whether state self-control depletion prospectively predicts male and female self-reports of anger with partner and arguing with partner. Consistent with the I³ Model (Finkel, 2014, Adv Exp Soc Psychol, 49, 1-104), we also considered whether the association between elevated anger and arguing (i.e., instigation) and partner aggression was stronger when state self-control (i.e., inhibition) was depleted or among people high in negative urgency. In this ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study, heavy drinking married and cohabiting heterosexual couples (N = 191) responded to three randomly signaled reports each day for 30 days. Depletion predicted anger and arguing with partners both cross-sectionally and prospectively for men and women. However, after controlling for prior levels of anger and arguing, these effects were diminished, and supplemental analyses revealed that anger and arguing with partner predicted subsequent depletion. Anger and arguing were strongly associated with concurrent reports of partner aggression perpetration and victimization (verbal and/or physical). However, neither state self-control depletion nor negative urgency moderated these effects. Overall, results suggest a modest impact of depletion on daily couple functioning as well as a potential cyclical effect of arguing on depletion.

Differential effects of the menstrual cycle on reactive and proactive aggression in borderline personality disorder

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by rapidly shifting symptoms, including intense anger and aggressive behavior. Understanding how fluctuations in ovarian hormones across the menstrual cycle may contribute to symptom instability is key for accurate assessment of BPD symptoms and effective interventions. Reactive and proactive aggression, as well as anger-in and anger-out, were assessed daily in 15 physically healthy, unmedicated naturally cycling female individuals meeting criteria for BPD across 35 days. Urine luteinizing hormone surge and salivary progesterone were used to confirm ovulation and verify the cycle phase. Multilevel models evaluated cyclical differences of symptoms between cycle phases. Both forms of aggressive behavior demonstrated marked cycle effects, with reactive aggression highest during the midluteal cycle phase, co-occurring with initial increases in anger and irritability and followed by perimenstrual peaks in anger and anger-in. In contrast, highest levels of proactive aggression were observed during the follicular and ovulatory phases, when emotional symptoms and anger were otherwise at lowest levels. These findings highlight the importance of identifying the function of aggression when considering potential psychological and biological influences. Naturally cycling individuals with BPD may be at elevated risk for luteal worsening of a range of interpersonally reactive symptoms, including reactive aggression, whereas proactive aggression may occur more in phases characterized by less emotional and cognitive vulnerability and greater reward sensitivity. Research on aggression in this population should consider cycle effects. Cycling individuals with BPD attempting to reduce aggressive behavior may benefit from cycle-tracking to increase awareness of these effects and to develop appropriate strategies.

Associations Between ADHD Symptoms and Occupational, Interpersonal, and Daily Life Impairments Among Pregnant Women

OBJECTIVE

Past research links symptoms of depression and anxiety with functional impairments among pregnant women. However, no prior research has examined the impact of ADHD symptoms among this population. The current study examines associations between ADHD symptoms and impairment in several life domains.

METHOD

Self-report measures of ADHD symptoms, impairment, and demographic information were collected from 250 pregnant women at an urban women's health clinic in the Southeast. Data were assessed using multivariate path analysis.

RESULTS

Inattentive symptoms were significant predictors of professional life impairment, daily life impairment, and relationship impairment. Impulsivity uniquely predicted variability in professional life impairment and relationship impairment. Hyperactivity was not a significant predictor.

CONCLUSION

Future research should focus on the mechanisms by which inattention and impulsivity affect daily functioning in pregnant women, in addition to investigating potential interventions. Health care professionals should assess for impulsivity and inattention among pregnant women.

A Model of Aggressive Behavior: Early Adversity, Impulsivity, and Response Inhibition

Exposure to adverse environments during childhood is robustly linked to future aggressive behavior. In this study we tested a model of emotional and neurocognitive mechanisms related to aggressive behavior in the context of childhood adversity. More specifically, we used path analysis to assess the distal contribution of childhood adversity and the more proximal contributions of emotion-related and non-emotion-related forms of impulsivity, and behavioral response inhibition to aggressive behavior. Participants were 180 undergraduates who completed well-validated self-report measures and an emotional version of the Go/No-Go task. The structural equation model was a poor fit for the data (χ²(3) = 23.023, p <. 001; RMR = .131; CFI = .682; RMSEA = .142), though several significant paths emerged. Childhood adversity, emotion-related impulsivity, and behavioral response inhibition displayed direct effects on aggression, collectively accounting for 16.3% of variance. Findings demonstrate the specificity of emotional subtypes of impulsivity in linking childhood adversity and aggression. This study extends work on pathways to aggressive behavior by illustrating the complex relationships of early environmental, cognitive, and emotional mechanisms related to aggression.

Alexithymia and reactive aggression: The role of the amygdala

Past research suggests an association between reactive aggression and alexithymia, but neural mechanisms underlying this association remain unknown. Furthermore, the relationship between proactive aggression and alexithymia remains untested. This study aimed to: (1) test whether alexithymia is more related to reactive than proactive aggression; and (2) determine whether amygdala, insula, and/or anterior cingulate cortical (ACC) volume could be neurobiological mechanisms for this association. One hundred and fifty-six community males completed the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Amygdala, insula, and ACC volumes were assessed using MRI. Alexithymia was positively associated with reactive but not proactive aggression. Alexithymia was positively and bilaterally associated with amygdala and anterior cingulate volumes. Reactive aggression was positively associated with right amygdala volume. Controlling for right amygdala volume rendered the alexithymia-reactive aggression relationship non-significant. Results suggest that increased right amygdala volume is a common neurobiological denominator for both alexithymia and reactive aggression. Findings suggest that greater right hemisphere activation may reflect a vulnerability to negative affect, which in turn predisposes to experiencing negative emotions leading to increased aggression. Findings are among the first to explicate the nature of the alexithymia-aggression relationship, with potential clinical implications.

Personality correlates of intimate partner violence subtypes: A latent class analysis

Perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) represent a heterogeneous group who engage in a variety of aggressive acts which often co-occur. However, few studies take this co-occurrence into consideration. Failure to consider overlapping forms of IPV confounds understanding of risk factors for physical IPV, which in turn undermines identification, prevention, and intervention efforts. Though rarely studied in emerging adults, personality variables have recently been identified as important correlates of IPV. The primary aims of the current studies are to identify distinct subgroups of moderate and severe psychological and physical IPV and personality covariates of class membership. Two studies were conducted at different public regional universities in the northeast (n = 500; n = 497). Both samples were about two-thirds female, approximately one-half White, one-fifth Black, and one-quarter Latino, of any race. Latent Class Analysis identified three subgroups in both studies: low, moderate, and severe IPV. The severe and moderate IPV groups included those who reported threats and moderate physical IPV while the severe IPV group also included those who engaged in severe and injurious forms of physical IPV. Multinomial regression analysis showed that impulsive aggression discriminated moderate and severe from low IPV (Study 1), and more frequent emotionally abusive and controlling behavior, a hostile-dominant interpersonal style and trait aggression discriminated among all three groups, with severe IPV having the greatest likelihood of controlling behavior and aggression (Study 2). IPV is represented by distinct subgroups that vary by severity of IPV with different personality covariates. General aggressive and domineering tendencies in relationships characterize those engaging in severe IPV.

Recommendations for applying a multi-dimensional model of impulsive personality to diagnosis and treatment

The UPPS-P Model of Impulsive Personality, a prominent model of impulsive personality derived from the Five Factor Model of Personality, is a multi-dimensional model of impulsive personality that consists of negative urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseveration, sensation seeking, and positive urgency. The UPPS-P model has highlighted the importance of separating multidimensional traits due to the specificity of these traits corresponding to different risk behaviors. The goal of the current review paper is to make recommendations on how to apply the UPPS-P Model of Impulsive Personality, to diagnosis of and treatment for psychopathology. However, despite impulsivity being one of the most frequently used criteria for a number of clinical disorders, our review of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders-5 found that the UPPS-P traits are not well represented in the diagnostic criteria, which we propose limits inferences about etiology and treatment targets. Additionally, research has largely focused on the importance of these traits for risk models; our review of the literature applying the UPPS-P traits to treatment processes and outcomes concluded that this area is not yet well studied. Here, we propose the specific application of the UPPS-P model to improve diagnosis and increase treatment effectiveness.

The Role of Impulsivity Dimensions in the Relation Between Probable Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Aggressive Behavior Among Substance Users

OBJECTIVE

Individuals with co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder report heightened levels of numerous risky and health-compromising behaviors, including aggressive behaviors. Given evidence that aggressive behavior is associated with negative substance use disorder treatment outcomes, research is needed to identify the factors that may account for the association between PTSD and aggressive behavior among patients with substance use disorder. Thus, the goal of this study was to examine the role of impulsivity dimensions (i.e., negative urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking) in the relations between probable PTSD status and both verbal and physical aggression.

METHODS

Participants were 92 patients in residential substance use disorder treatment (75% male; 59% African American; M age = 40.25) who completed self-report questionnaires.

RESULTS

Patients with co-occurring PTSD-substance use disorder (vs. substance use disorder alone) reported significantly greater verbal and physical aggression as well as higher levels of negative urgency and lack of premeditation. Lack of premeditation and lack of perseverance were significantly positively associated with verbal aggression, whereas negative urgency, lack of premeditation, and lack of perseverance were significantly positively associated with physical aggression. The indirect relation of probable PTSD status to physical aggression through negative urgency was significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Results highlight the potential utility of incorporating skills focused on controlling impulsive behaviors in the context of negative emotional arousal in interventions for physical aggression among patients with co-occurring PTSD-substance use disorder.