title: Executive cognitive functioning predicts reactive aggression in boys at high risk for substance abuse: a prospective study.
abstract: This study assessed the ability of executive cognitive functioning (ECF) to predict reactive aggression in boys at high and low risk for substance abuse using a 2-year prospective design. ECF is defined as the self-regulation of goal-directed behavior. Reactive aggression involves impulsive hostile reactions committed with little forethought. ECF was measured using five neuropsychological tests in 198 10- to 12-year-old boys with (SA+) and without (SA-) a paternal history of substance abuse/dependence. Reactive aggression was measured, 2 years later, using a composite index of items derived from two self-report measures. It was hypothesized that ECF would predict reactive aggression, and that this relation would be stronger for the SA+ compared with the SA- boys. SA+ subjects demonstrated lower ECF scores and higher reactive aggression scores, compared with SA- controls. ECF predicted reactive aggression in the SA+ group (beta = 0.37, p = 0.001), but not in the SA- group (beta = 0.09, p = NS). This suggests that compromised ECF may be a risk factor for reactive aggression in SA+ youth. The hypothesis that the relation between ECF and reactive aggression is a manifestation of a mild dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Center for Education and Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Giancola
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kirisci
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Tarter
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D012307:Risk Factors; D012919:Social Behavior; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs