Trait-aggressiveness and impulsivity: Role of psychological resilience and childhood trauma in a sample of male prisoners

Abstract

Background: One of the major challenges for research in the field of human aggression is the need to define the role of personality and trait-like dimensions, such as impulsivity and aggressiveness, in predisposing to violent behavior. Aims: 1) To determine whether trait- aggressiveness and impulsivity may be associated with socio-demographic, clinical and crime history variables in a sample of male prisoners; 2) to detect any association of those traits with measures of early traumatic experiences and current resilience traits. Methods: A sample of male prisoners (n = 1356) underwent the Brown–Goodwin Assessment for Lifetime History of Aggression (BGLHA) and the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS). Axis I psychiatric disorders were also assessed. Early traumatic experiences and psychological resilience were detected respectively by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Two non-linear logistic regression models were performed to test for the best predictors of trait-aggressiveness and impulsivity. Results: Subjects with a history of substance use disorders and self-mutilation reported both higher BGLHA and BIS scores. Axis I disorders and suicide attempts were associated with aggressiveness, but not to impulsivity. A consistent correlation was found between BGLHA scores and early traumatic experiences. Resilience was positively correlated to impulsivity but not to aggressiveness scores. Conclusions: Our results support the view that aggressiveness and impulsivity are two different, albeit related trait-like dimensions of personality, having a different relationship with resilience, and, inferentially, a different impact over the development of psychiatric disorders.

• Aggression
• Impulsivity
• Resilience
• Trauma
• Violence

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Dr. Bruna Brunetti and Dr. Giulio Starnini for their support in the organization of the study. We wish to thank Dr. Francesco Basilico, Dr. Debora Cancellario and the Association “Nuova-Mente” for collaborating to data collection.

Conflict of interest: Dr. Vladimir Carli was a consultant psychiatrist in two correctional facilities included in the study. All other authors have no relationship with any organization whose interests, financial or otherwise, may be affected by the publication of this paper. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.