Psychological factors predicting self-reported and observed aggression in male forensic psychiatric inpatients

Figures & data

Table 1. Characteristics of participants.

Measure	Domains/factors/scales	M	SD	N	Cronbach’s α
Neo-FFI	Neuroticism	33.50	8.06	184	.83
	Agreeableness	41.21	4.95	184	.60
	Conscientiousness	45.10	5.44	184	.73
PFS–AV	Hostility	29.03	10.39	162	.85
STAS	Trait anger	19.04	7.90	170	.92
PCL–R	Callousness	9.23	3.75	195	.69
	Antisocial lifestyle	10.64	3.97	194	.71
IIS	Social anxiety	64.43	21.77	173	.94
	Social skills	118.62	19.40	174	.91
NAS–PI	State anger	83.11	13.63	162	.94
AQ	Physical + verbal aggression	39.55	8.55	175	.82
OSAB	Aggression on the ward	15.99	5.48	157	.79

Note: NEO-FFI = Five Factor Inventory; PFS–AV = Adapted Version of the Picture-Frustration Study; STAS = State–Trait Anger Scale; PCL–R = Psychopathy Checklist–Revised; IIS = Inventory of Interpersonal Situations; NAS–PI = Novaco Anger Scale–Provocation Inventory (1994 version); AQ = Aggression Questionnaire; OSAB = Observation Scale of Aggressive Behavior.

Table 2. Correlations between the psychological factors, self-reported and observed aggression, and age.

Measures		NEO-FFI			PFS–AV	STAS	PCL–R		IIS		NAS–PI	AQ	OSAB
	Domains/ factors/scales	Neuroticism	Agreeableness	Conscientiousness	Hostility	Trait anger	Callousness	Antisocial lifestyle	Social anxiety	Social skills	State anger	Physical + Verbal aggression	Aggression on the ward
NEO-FFI	Neuroticism	—
	Agreeableness	−.15*	—
	Conscientiousness	−.28**	.24**	—
PFS–AV	Hostility	−.04	−.28**	−.09	—
STAS	Trait anger	−.27**	−.32**	−.17*	.08	—
PCL–R	Callousness	−.27**	.01	.16*	−.08	−.12	—
	Antisocial lifestyle	−.13	−.09	−.10	.02	.21*	.46**	—
IIS	Social anxiety	.52**	−.05	−.25**	.11	.15	−.17*	−.21**	—
	Social skills	−.34**	.08	.30**	−.10	−.08	.19*	.19*	−.47**	—
NAS–PI	State anger	.52**	−.35**	−.20*	.24**	.45**	−.15	.09	.35**	−.16*	—
AQ	Physical + Verbal aggression	.19*	−.38**	−.09	.16	.44**	−.13	.28**	.01	.02	.56**	—
OSAB	Aggression on the ward	.19**	−.30**	−.11	.01	.32**	.06	.14	−.09	−.07	.20**	.20**	—
	Age	.02	.17*	−.01	−.20**	−.05	.07	−.04	.11	.02	.02	−.22**	.006

Note: NEO-FFI = Five Factor Inventory; PFS–AV = Adapted Version of the Picture-Frustration Study; STAS = State–Trait Anger Scale; PCL–R = Psychopathy Checklist–Revised; IIS = Inventory of Interpersonal Situations; NAS–PI = Novaco Anger Scale–Provocation Inventory (1994 version); AQ = Aggression Questionnaire; OSAB = Observation Scale of Aggressive Behavior.

*p < .05. **p < .01.

Table 3. Regression analysis results: predicting self-reported aggression (AQ).

Measures	Domains/Factors/ Scales	β	Standard error	Standardized B	R^2 adjusted	R^2 change
Model 1					.317**	.322**
NAS–PI	State anger	.356	.045	.568**
Model 2					.366**	.054**
NAS–PI	State anger	.344	.044	.547**
PCL–R	Antisocial life style	.501	.150	.232**
Model 3					.393**	.030**
NAS–PI	State anger	.303	.046	.482**
PCL–R	Antisocial life style	.479	.147	.222**
NEO-FFI	Agreeableness	−.323	.126	−.187**

Note: NAS–PI = Novaco Anger Scale–Provocation Inventory (1994 version); PCL–R = Psychopathy Checklist–Revised; NEO-FFI = Five Factor Inventory; AQ = Aggression Questionnaire.

**p < .01.

Table 4. Regression analysis results: predicting observed aggression (OSAB).

Measures	Domains/factors/ scales	Β	Standard error	Standardized B	R^2 adjusted	R^2 change
Model 1					.094**	.101**
STAS	Trait anger	.221	.060	.318**
Model 2					.129**	.042*
STAS	Trait anger	.173	.062	.249**
NEO-FFI	Agreeableness	−.240	.099	−.217*

Note: NEO-FFI = Five Factor Inventory; STAS = State–Trait Anger Scale; OSAB = Observation Scale of Aggressive Behavior.

*p < .05. **p < .01.