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Social Information Processing in Anger Expression and Partner Violence in Returning U.S. Veterans
Author(s) -
Taft Casey T.,
Weatherill Robin P.,
Scott Jillian Panuzio,
Thomas Sarah A.,
Kang Han K.,
Eckhardt Christopher I.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.22017
Subject(s) - anger , psychology , aggression , clinical psychology , attribution bias , domestic violence , poison control , attribution , injury prevention , social information processing , conflict tactics scale , suicide prevention , cognition , psychiatry , medicine , social psychology , medical emergency
Abstract We examined social information processing factors that could represent pathways through which posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms relate to anger expression and intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration in returning U.S. veterans. The sample included 92 male Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans, primarily Caucasian (77.4%), with smaller numbers of African American, Asian, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaskan Native, and other minority participants (9.7%, 2.2%, 2.2%, 3.2%, and 5.3% respectively). The average age was 40.37 ( SD = 9.63) years. Data were collected through self‐report questionnaires (PTSD Checklist, State‐Trait Anger Expression Scale, Revised Conflict Tactics Scales) and the Articulated Thoughts in Simulated Situations experimental protocol. Laboratory‐based assessment of cognitive biases and hostile attributions were tested as mediators of associations between PTSD symptoms and anger expression and IPV. Among the PTSD symptom clusters, hyperarousal symptoms were most strongly associated with anger expression ( r = .50) and IPV perpetration ( r = .27). Cognitive biases mediated associations between PTSD total scores and 3 of 4 PTSD cluster scores as well as anger expression. Hostile attribution biases were also associated with IPV perpetration ( r = .23). We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding social information processing mechanisms for the relationship between PTSD symptoms and aggression.