Point subtraction aggression paradigm: validity of a brief schedule of use.
The Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP) is a validated behavioral measure of aggression in response to provocation. Canonically, multiple sessions continue until performance asymptotes, requiring significant time. We sought to examine whether use of the PSAP-first-session ("PSAP-FS") had acceptable construct validity for group data, potentially expanding the settings in which the PSAP may be useful. One hundred male and female young adult subjects completed the PSAP-FS and additional behavioral measures of aggression, and provided information related to risk factors. The PSAP-FS correlated significantly with known risk factors of aggression. The PSAP-FS, which measures aggression in the present, correlated well with measures of recent aggression and less strongly with life history of aggression. The PSAP-FS had satisfactory validity properties for use where group-level data are of interest.
Golomb
Beatrice A
BA
Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0995, USA. bgolomb@ucsd.edu
Cortez-Perez
Myrna
M
Jaworski
Beth A
BA
Mednick
Sarnoff
S
Dimsdale
Joel
J
D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results