Volume 33, Issue 4 p. 552-563
RESEARCH ARTICLE

The Role of Gender in the Associations Among Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Anger, and Aggression in Russian Adolescents

Johan Isaksson

Johan Isaksson

Department of Neuroscience, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

Department of Women's and Children's Health, Pediatric Neuropsychiatry Unit, Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders at Karolinska Institutet (KIND), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

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Denis G. Sukhodolsky

Denis G. Sukhodolsky

Child Study Centre, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

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Roman Koposov

Roman Koposov

Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsö, Norway

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Andrew Stickley

Andrew Stickley

Stockholm Centre for Health and Social Change (SCOHOST), Sodertorn University, Huddinge, Sweden

Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan

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Vladislav Ruchkin

Corresponding Author

Vladislav Ruchkin

Department of Neuroscience, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

Child Study Centre, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

Säter Psychiatric Clinic, Säter, Sweden

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Dr. Vladislav Ruchkin, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, S-751 85, Sweden. E-mail: vladislav.ruchkin@neuro.uu.se

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First published: 08 May 2020
Citations: 8

This research was supported by funds from the Uppsala University Hospital Research Fund (ALF) to Johan Isaksson. We are grateful to all the adolescents who participated in the study. We also wish to thank Hans Arinell for his statistical assistance.

Abstract

en

Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been linked to anger and aggressive behavior in adult and veteran populations. However, research on the associations among anger, aggression, and PTSD in adolescents is lacking, particularly regarding differences between the sexes. To address this research gap, we used self-report data from Russian adolescents (N = 2,810; age range: 13–17 years) to perform a full path analysis examining the associations between PTSD symptoms and the emotional (anger traits) and cognitive (rumination) components of anger as well as physical/verbal and social aggression, after adjusting for depressive symptoms. We also examined the interaction effects between PTSD symptoms and sex on anger and aggression. The results indicated that girls scored higher on measures of anger and PTSD symptoms, ds = 0.20–0.32, whereas boys scored higher on measures of physical and verbal aggression, d = 0.54. Clinical levels of PTSD symptoms were associated with anger rumination, β = .16, and trait anger, β = .06, and an interaction effect for PTSD symptoms and sex was found for aggression, whereby boys with clinical levels of PTSD symptoms reported more physical/verbal and social aggression, βs = .05 and .20, respectively. Our findings suggest that PTSD symptoms may have an important impact on anger, anger rumination, and aggression during adolescence. In particular, boys seem to have an increased risk for aggressive behavior in the presence of PTSD symptoms. The present results highlight the importance of taking anger and aggression into account when evaluating PTSD.

Resumen

es

JOTS-18-0365.R7

El Rol del Género en la Asociación entre Síntomas de Estrés Postraumático, Ira y Agresión en Adolescentes Rusos

ESTRÉS POSTRAUMÁTICO, IRA Y AGRESIÓN

Los Síntomas del Trastorno de Estrés Postraumático (TEPT) han sido vinculados a ira y comportamiento agresivo en poblaciones de adultos y veteranos. Sin embargo, falta investigación sobre la asociación entre ira, agresión y TEPT en adolescentes, particularmente en relación a las diferencias entre los sexos. Para abordar esta brecha de investigación, utilizamos datos de auto-reporte de adolescentes rusos (N=2,810; rango de edad: 13-17 años) para desarrollar un análisis de ruta completo examinando las asociaciones entre síntomas de TEPT y los componentes emocionales (rasgos de ira) y cognitivos (rumiación) de la ira, así como también la agresión física/verbal y social, después de ajustar por síntomas depresivos. También examinamos los efectos de la interacción entre síntomas de TEPT y el sexo sobre la ira y agresión. Los resultados indicaron que las niñas puntuaron más alto en medidas de ira y síntomas de TEPT, ds = .20-.32, mientras que los niños puntuaron más alto en medidas de agresión física y verbal, d =.54. Los niveles clínicos de síntomas de TEPT se asociaron con rumiación de la ira, β = .16 y rasgos de ira, β = .06, y se encontró un efecto de interacción entre los síntomas de TEPT y el sexo para agresión, por lo cual los niños con niveles clínicos de síntomas de TEPT reportaron más agresión física/verbal y social, β = .05 y .20, respectivamente. Nuestros hallazgos sugieren que los síntomas de TEPT pueden tener un impacto importante sobre la ira, rumiación de la ira, y agresión durante la adolescencia. En particular, los niños parecen tener un riesgo aumentado de comportamiento agresivo en presencia de síntomas de TEPT. El presente resultado recalca la importancia de considerar la ira y agresión al evaluar TEPT.

抽象

zh

Traditional and Simplified Chinese Abstracts by the Asian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (AsianSTSS)

簡體及繁體中文撮要由亞洲創傷心理研究學會翻譯

The Role of Gender in the Associations Among Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Anger, and Aggression in Russian Adolescents

Traditional Chinese

標題: 俄羅斯青少年中, 性別對創傷後壓力症狀、憤怒和攻擊性行為的關連產生的作用

撮要: 過往研究發現, 在成人和退役軍人中, 創傷後壓力症(PTSD)的症狀跟憤怒和攻擊性行為有關。不過, 目前仍缺乏針對青少年憤怒、攻擊性行為與PTSD的關連研究, 尤其是有關性別差異的研究。為填補這個研究漏洞, 我們利用俄羅斯青少年的自評測量數據(N = 2,810; 年齡值域: 13–17 歲), 進行完整的路徑分析;根據抑鬱症狀進行調節後, 檢視以下關連:PTSD症狀、憤怒的情緒成分)特質憤怒(與認知成分)反芻(、肢體或口頭及社交上的攻擊性行為。我們亦檢視在憤怒和攻擊性行為中, PTSD症狀與性別的相互作用。結果顯示, 女生在憤怒和PTSD症狀測量中較高分)ds = .20–.32(, 而男生在肢體和口頭上的攻擊性行為方面則較高分)d = .54(。臨床有PTSD症狀跟憤怒反芻)β = .16(及特質憤怒)β = .06(有關;而在攻擊性行為中, PTSD症狀與性別有相互作用:臨床有PTSD症狀的男生, 同時有較多肢體或口頭及社交上的攻擊性行為)分別為 βs = .05 和 .20(。我們的研究結果反映, 青少年時期的PTSD症狀, 可能對憤怒、憤怒反芻、攻擊性行為都有重要影響;尤其是有PTSD症狀的男生, 似乎有較大風險有攻擊性行為。研究結果凸顯, 在評估PTSD時, 檢視憤怒和攻擊性行為的重要。

Simplified Chinese

标题: 俄罗斯青少年中, 性别对创伤后压力症状、愤怒和攻击性行为的关连产生的作用

撮要: 过往研究发现, 在成人和退役军人中, 创伤后压力症(PTSD)的症状跟愤怒和攻击性行为有关。不过, 目前仍缺乏针对青少年愤怒、攻击性行为与PTSD的关连研究, 尤其是有关性别差异的研究。为填补这个研究漏洞, 我们利用俄罗斯青少年的自评测量数据(N = 2,810; 年龄值域: 13–17 岁), 进行完整的路径分析;根据抑郁症状进行调节后, 检视以下关连:PTSD症状、愤怒的情绪成分)特质愤怒(与认知成分)反刍(、肢体或口头及社交上的攻击性行为。我们亦检视在愤怒和攻击性行为中, PTSD症状与性别的相互作用。结果显示, 女生在愤怒和PTSD症状测量中较高分)ds = .20–.32(, 而男生在肢体和口头上的攻击性行为方面则较高分)d = .54(。临床有PTSD症状跟愤怒反刍)β = .16(及特质愤怒)β = .06(有关;而在攻击性行为中, PTSD症状与性别有相互作用:临床有PTSD症状的男生, 同时有较多肢体或口头及社交上的攻击性行为)分别为 βs = .05 和 .20(。我们的研究结果反映, 青少年时期的PTSD症状, 可能对愤怒、愤怒反刍、攻击性行为都有重要影响;尤其是有PTSD症状的男生, 似乎有较大风险有攻击性行为。研究结果凸显, 在评估PTSD时, 检视愤怒和攻击性行为的重要。

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