Proactive and Reactive Aggression: Interaction of Maltreatment, Cortisol and Salivary Alpha-Amylase

• In Event: Biosocial Criminology: Research, Theory, and Use in the Criminal Justice System

Abstract

This study investigates the interactions of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, autonomic nervous system (ANS) and maltreatment on both proactive and reactive aggression one year later. Four saliva samples were collected on a single day from each participant in a community sample (N = 183; aged 11-12; 52.46% male), which were assayed for cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA). Latent variables were constructed to represent trait-like individual differences in HPA axis activity (cortisol) and ANS arousal (sAA). Participants reported maltreatment by their parents (Conflict Tactic Scale) at the initial assessment and their proactive and reactive aggression (Reactive and Proactive Aggression Questionnaire) one year later. Maltreatment was positively associated with proactive aggression but only among those with low sAA and low cortisol. In contrast, maltreatment was positively associated with reactive aggression but only among those with low sAA and high cortisol. Findings lend further support for the differentials of proactive and reactive aggression and highlight the interplay between environment and environmentally sensitive biological systems. Theoretical implications of the findings will be discussed.

Authors

• Frances Chen, University of Pennsylvania

• Adrian Raine, University of Pennsylvania

• Anna Rudo-Hutt, University of Pennsylvania

• Liana Soyfer, University of Pennsylvania

• Douglas Granger, Johns Hopkins University