Resilience as a Mediator between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Aggression Perpetration in Forensic Inpatients: an Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT

Studies have found associations between adverse childhood experiences (e.g., maltreatment) and the risk of becoming a perpetrator of violence, a relationship referred to as the “cycle of violence.” However, not all victims of such adverse experiences become offenders in adulthood. Resilience has been suggested as a protective factor, so this study examined the influence of resilience on the association between adverse childhood experiences and aggression. A total of 57 male forensic inpatients completed self-report measures on adverse childhood experiences, reactive and appetitive aggression and resilience. Those reporting childhood maltreatment had lower resilience scores and higher reactive and appetitive aggression scores; further analysis revealed a correlation between the two. Mediation analysis showed that resilience was a full mediator between adverse childhood experiences and reactive and appetitive aggression. These findings suggest a role of resilience in the cycle of violence. Considering these associations might improve treatment and risk assessment in forensic psychiatry.

KEYWORDS:

• Childhood maltreatment
• adverse childhood experiences
• appetitive aggression
• reactive aggression
• resilience
• violence
• offender
• forensic psychiatry

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Jacquie Klesing, Board-certified Editor in the Life Sciences (ELS), for editing assistance with the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical standards and informed consent

all procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible ethics committee of the University of Ulm, Germany (no. 143/15) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000. Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.”