Understanding aggression in adolescence by studying the neurobiological stress system: A systematic review.

Blankenstein, Nettie; Vandenbroucke, Annelinde R. E.; Vries, Ralph de; Swaab, Hanna; Popma, Arne; Jansen, Lucres M. C.

doi:10.1037/mot0000259

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…Whereas Platje et al. ( 122 ) found that low cortisol levels correlate with higher levels of aggression only when testosterone levels were high, referring to the dual-hormone hypothesis ( 74 ).…”

Section: Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…( 73 ) described the possible pathways of hyperactivation as via the reduction of neurogenesis by inflammatory cytokines, which, for example, lead to a reduction of serotonin, or via the immune system, which can cause changes in the brain. As for general populations, although cortisol levels are generally associated with antisocial behavior including aggression, the strength varies by age and the cortisol measurement method ( 74 ). Some studies found no association between cortisol and aggression in adolescence (see meta-analysis by 75 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In turn, Blankenstein et al. ( 74 ) meta-analysis reported that nine out of eleven studies showed an association between low basal cortisol and aggression, while three studies indicated that higher basal cortisol associated with increased aggression. In relation to peer victimization, Arbel et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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On the complex relationship between resilience and hair cortisol levels in adolescence despite parental physical abuse: a fourth wave of resilience research

Kassis,

Aksoy,

Favre

et al. 2024

Front. Psychiatry

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IntroductionTo understand the family’s role in adolescents’ mental health development and the connection to neurodevelopmental disorders related to experienced parental physical abuse, we first explored resilience pathways longitudinally and secondly, connected the identified patterns to adolescents’ hair cortisol levels that are rooted in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis as the main stress response system and connected brain structure alterations.MethodsWe analyzed longitudinal online questionnaire data for three consecutive high school years (from seventh to ninth grade) and four survey waves from a representative sample of n = 1609 high school students in Switzerland on violence–resilience pathways. Furthermore, we collected students’ hair samples from a subsample of n = 229 at survey wave 4. About 30% of the participating adolescents had been physically abused by their parents. Out of the overall sample, we drew a subsample of adolescents with parental abuse experiences (survey wave 1 n = 509; survey wave 2 n = 506; survey wave 3 n = 561; survey wave 4 n = 560).ResultsDespite the odds, about 20–30% of adolescents who have experienced parental physical abuse escaped the family violence cycle and can be called resilient. By applying a person-oriented analytical approach via latent class and transition analysis, we longitudinally identified and compared four distinct violence–resilience patterns. We identified violence resilience as a multidimensional latent construct, which includes hedonic and eudaimonic protective and risk indicators. Because resilience should not solely be operationalized based on the lack of psychopathology, our latent construct included both feeling good (hedonic indicators such as high levels of self-esteem and low levels of depression/anxiety and dissociation) and doing well (eudaimonic indicators such as high levels of self-determination and self-efficacy as well as low levels of aggression toward peers).DiscussionThe present study confirmed that higher cortisol levels significantly relate to the comorbid pattern (internalizing and externalizing symptoms), and further confirmed the presence of lasting alterations in brain structures. In this way, we corroborated the insight that when studying the resilience pathways and trajectories of abused adolescents, biological markers such as hair cortisol significantly enhance and deepen the understanding of the longitudinal mechanisms of psychological markers (e.g., self-determination, self-esteem, self-efficacy) that are commonly applied in questionnaires.

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Section: Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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On the complex relationship between resilience and hair cortisol levels in adolescence despite parental physical abuse: a fourth wave of resilience research

Kassis,

Aksoy,

Favre

et al. 2024

Front. Psychiatry

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“…Over the last years, the number of studies focusing on the psychophysiological correlates of antisocial spectrum behavior and aggression has increased (Portnoy and Farrington, 2015;Blankenstein et al, 2021;De Looff et al, 2021;Blankenstein et al, 2022). In aggression research, psychophysiological measures such as heart rate (HR), skin conductance level (SCL), and heart rate variability (HRV) are used as indicators of, respectively, the general activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and its two branches: the accelerating sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the inhibitory parasympathetic nervous system (PNS; Branje and Koot, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In aggression research, psychophysiological measures such as heart rate (HR), skin conductance level (SCL), and heart rate variability (HRV) are used as indicators of, respectively, the general activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and its two branches: the accelerating sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the inhibitory parasympathetic nervous system (PNS; Branje and Koot, 2018). To understand the underlying mechanisms of aggressive behavior, ANS patterns of patients with aggression regulation difficulties have been compared to those of healthy controls, both at rest as well as in response to arousal-inducing events (i.e., reactivity measures; Blankenstein et al, 2022). Recent metaanalyses demonstrated that lower HR at rest has most consistently been found to be positively related to antisocial behavior in general and proactive aggression in particular, although the overall effect size is small (Portnoy and Farrington, 2015;De Looff et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the effects of a wearable biocueing app (Sense-IT) as an addition to aggression regulation therapy in forensic psychiatric outpatients

Harmsel

Noordzij²,

Pol³

et al. 2023

Front. Psychol.

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ObjectivePreventing and reducing violence is of high importance for both individuals and society. However, the overall efficacy of current treatment interventions aimed at reducing aggressive behavior is limited. New technological-based interventions may enhance treatment outcomes, for instance by facilitating out-of-session practice and providing just-in-time support. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of the Sense-IT biocueing app as an addition to aggression regulation therapy (ART) on interoceptive awareness, emotion regulation, and aggressive behavior among forensic outpatients.MethodsA combination of methods was used. Quantitatively, a pretest-posttest design was applied to explore group changes in aggression, emotion regulation, and anger bodily sensations associated with the combination of biocueing intervention and ART. Measures were assessed at pretest, after 4 weeks posttest, and after one-month follow-up. During the 4 weeks, a single-case experimental ABA design was applied for each participant. Biocueing was added in the intervention phase. During all phases anger, aggressive thoughts, aggressive behavior, behavioral control, and physical tension were assessed twice a day, and heart rate was measured continuously. Qualitative information regarding interoceptive awareness, coping, and aggression was collected at posttest. 25 forensic outpatients participated.ResultsA significant decrease in self-reported aggression was found between pre- and posttest. Furthermore, three-quarters of participants reported increased interoceptive awareness associated with the biocueing intervention. However, the repeated ambulatory measurements of the single-case experimental designs (SCEDs) did not indicate a clear effect favoring the addition of biocueing. On group level, no significant effects were found. On the individual level, effects favoring the intervention were only found for two participants. Overall, effect sizes were small.ConclusionBiocueing seems a helpful addition to increase interoceptive awareness among forensic outpatients. However, not all patients benefit from the current intervention and, more specifically, from its behavioral support component aimed at enhancing emotion regulation. Future studies should therefore focus on increasing usability, tailoring the intervention to individual needs, and on integration into therapy. Individual characteristics associated with effective support by a biocueing intervention should be further investigated, as the use of personalized and technological-based treatment interventions is expected to increase in the coming years.

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Adolescence: Male Aggression

Garcia

2023

Encyclopedia of Sexual Psychology and Behavior

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Understanding aggression in adolescence by studying the neurobiological stress system: A systematic review.

Cited by 7 publications

References 76 publications

On the complex relationship between resilience and hair cortisol levels in adolescence despite parental physical abuse: a fourth wave of resilience research

On the complex relationship between resilience and hair cortisol levels in adolescence despite parental physical abuse: a fourth wave of resilience research

Exploring the effects of a wearable biocueing app (Sense-IT) as an addition to aggression regulation therapy in forensic psychiatric outpatients

Adolescence: Male Aggression

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