Aggressive Behavior in Combat Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

The incidence of aggression and violent behavior in combat veterans varies and can be observed with regard to the presence or absence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Significantly greater occurrence of aggression was observed in combat veterans with PTSD compared with those without PTSD. There are various types of aggressive behavior that frequently are combined. Autoaggressive (suicidal) and heteroaggressive (interpersonal violence) behaviors predominate, with dominating verbal aggression and impulsive somatic reactions. Impulsive reactions are more frequently directed toward unknown persons, whereas verbal aggression is mostly aimed at known people. In the occurrence of aggressive behavior in combat veterans with PTSD, important roles are played by education level, low socioeconomic status, maltreatment in childhood, and previous types of violent behavior (before participation in war events).

Assessing risk of violent behavior among veterans with severe mental illness

“…Consistent with other veteran studies, PTSD elevated risk of both domestic and interpersonal aggression (Begic & Jokic-Begic, 2001;Taft et al, 2005). The current study extends these findings by identifying PTSD as an independent risk factor for violent behavior in a psychiatric veteran sample with SMI.…”

Post‐traumatic stress disorder and prediction of aggression in persons with dementia

“…Forty percent of the 10 patients who had a diagnosis of both dementia and PTSD were aggressive, which was similar to the 41% incidence of aggression in the 205 patients who had dementia without a comorbid diagnosis of PTSD. These findings are inconsistent with data from previous researchers (Kulka et al, 1990;Lasko et al, 1994;Beckman et al, 1997;McFall et al, 1999;Begic and Jokic-Begic, 2001;Taft et al, 2007a;Taft et al, 2007aTaft et al, , 2007b. Some studies suggest that increased severity of PTSD symptoms is associated with an increased risk of aggression (Byrne and Riggs, 1996;O'Donnell et al, 2006).…”

The Influence of Organized Violence and Terror on Brain and Mind: A Co-Constructive Perspective

“…Many studies addressing consequences of traumatic experiences in war veterans found increased impulsive aggression towards intimate partners (Byrne & Riggs, 1996) and unknown persons (e.g., Begic & Jokic-Begic, 2001;Silva et al, 2001). Similarly, high rates of traumatic experiences were found in a sample of juvenile delinquents (Abram et al, 1994).…”