Aggression after traumatic brain injury: analysing socially desirable responses and the nature of aggressive traits.
OBJECTIVE
To compare patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) with controls on sub-types of aggression and explore the role of social desirability.


METHODS
Quasi-experimental, matched-participants design.


METHODS
Sixty-nine participants were included in the study. The sample comprised a TBI group (n = 24), a spinal cord injury (SCI) group (n = 21) and an uninjured (UI) group of matched healthy volunteers (n = 24). Participants were given self-report measures of aggression, social desirability and impulsivity. Sixty-one independent 'other-raters' were nominated, who rated participant pre-morbid and post-morbid aggression.


RESULTS
Using standardized norms, 25-39% of participants with TBI were classified as high average-very high on anger and 35-38% as high average-very high on verbal aggression. Other-raters rated participants with TBI as significantly higher on verbal aggression than SCI and UI participants. There were no differences between the groups on physical aggression. The TBI group also had higher levels of impulsivity than SCI and UI groups. Social desirability was a highly significant predictor of self-reported aggression for the entire sample.


CONCLUSIONS
Impulsive verbal aggression and anger are the principal aggressive traits after brain injury. Physical aggression may present in extreme cases after TBI, but appears less prominent overall in this population. Social desirability, previously overlooked in research examining TBI aggression, emerged as an influential variable that should be considered in future TBI research.
Dyer
Kevin F W
KF
School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland. kdyer01@qub.ac.uk
Bell
Rob
R
McCann
John
J
Rauch
Robert
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D000786:Anger; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D012649:Self Concept; D012928:Social Desirability; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation