The Five‐Factor Model of Impulsivity‐Like Traits and Emotional Lability in Aggressive Behavior

Abstract

Factors that increase automatic psychological processes may result in impulsive action and, consequently, aggressive behavior. The current cross-sectional study examined the association between the five-factor model of impulsivity-like traits (negative urgency, positive urgency, premeditation, perseverance, and sensation seeking), emotional lability, and physically aggressive behaviors among college students (n = 481) in a negative binomial hurdle model. In the logistic portion of the model, emotional lability was related to a higher likelihood of engaging in aggressive acts in the past 6 months. The association between emotional lability and the likelihood of aggressive behavior was moderated by two impulsivity-like traits: negative urgency and positive urgency. Specifically, emotional lability was related to engaging in aggressive acts among those with high negative urgency, and among those with low positive urgency. In the count portion of the model, emotional lability was uniquely related to the number of aggressive acts in the past 6 months. Our results indicate that emotional lability and facets of impulsivity interactively relate to engagement in aggressive behavior, suggesting that these variables be integrated into models of aggression.

Benzodiazepine use of community-based violent offenders: a preliminary investigation

“…It is reasonable that such difficulties may have disrupted their general coping abilities, increasing the likelihood of emotional, rash responses to other stressors (e.g., violence). Indeed, urgency was positively associated with benzodiazepine dependence, and has been implicated in negative substance use outcomes (Coskunpinar et al, BENZODIAZEPINES AND VIOLENT CRIME 13 2013) and as impacting the link between emotional lability and violence (Dvorak et al, 2013). Found in our study to relate to general offending, it is possible that in the context of problematic benzodiazepine use urgency may heighten the risk of violent behaviour.…”

“…General sensation seeking tendencies may also impact this response, by impacting activity and environment selection, and level of forethought of actions. Found to be higher in violent offenders in our study, sensation seeking has been associated with violent behaviour in samples of undergraduate students (Derefinko et al, 2011;Dvorak et al, 2013;Miller et al, 2012) and violent prisoners (Shoham et al, 1989), and often observed in substance-using samples (Horvath et al, 2004;Knafo et al, 2013). However, greater disinhibition following benzodiazepine use (Paton, 2002) may also underlie benzodiazepine-related violence.…”

“…However, greater disinhibition following benzodiazepine use (Paton, 2002) may also underlie benzodiazepine-related violence. Testing of such mechanisms would improve our understanding of this response, and offer individually tailored treatment approaches (Dvorak et al, 2013).…”

Brain Structural Differences between Normal and Obese Adults and their Links with Lack of Perseverance, Negative Urgency, and Sensation Seeking

“…Lack of perseverance refers to failing to maintain focus on difficult or boring tasks33. It possesses the important relationship in decision making, for example, subjects with a low perseverance score learn more slowly in choosing from the good decks during the gambling task34.…”

“…Negative urgency refers to losing control over their behavior when experiencing strong negative emotions33. Individuals with a high level of negative urgency had a high tendency to engage in addictive behaviors, such as consumption of alcohol and drugs3940.…”