title: High testosterone levels and sensitivity to acute stress in perpetrators of domestic violence with low cognitive flexibility and impairments in their emotional decoding process: a preliminary study.
abstract: Hormonal and neuropsychological impairment in intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators could play a role in domestic violence. For characterizing whether there is a specific psychobiological response to stress, participants who had previously been jailed for IPV and controls were compared for testosterone and cortisol levels, tested for 2D:4D ratio (as an indicator of masculinization), and given several trait questionnaires and neuropsychological tests related to executive functions and theory of mind. After performing the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), IPV perpetrators experienced decreases in salivary testosterone (T) levels, a moderate worsening of mood, slight anxiety, and a salivary cortisol (C) level increase. Moreover, high basal T was related with high levels of anger and anxiety and worse mood. However, that basal mood does not significantly alter T levels in response to stress. Nonetheless, controls experienced smaller changes in T and larger changes in C and psychological mood. With respect to neuropsychological and cognitive empathic features, IPV perpetrators showed poorer executive performance and emotional recognition than controls. In addition, deficits in both neuropsychological domains were positively associated. Regarding emotional empathy, IPV perpetrators showed higher levels of personal distress than controls. The 2D:4D ratio was lower in IPV perpetrators than in controls. Moreover, only in the former a smaller 2D:4D ratio was related to large increases in T in response to stress and poor emotional recognition. Together with social aspects involved in IPV, differences in psychobiological variables and their relationships could play a relevant role in the onset and perpetuation of violent behavior.
authors.affiliation: Psychobiology Department, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romero-Martínez
authors.forename: Marisol
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lila
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sariñana-González
authors.forename: Esperanza
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: González-Bono
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moya-Albiol
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018454:Spouses; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000032:analysis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: acute stress; cognitive flexibility; empathy; intimate partner violence; testosterone