Executive functions as the mechanisms underlying proactive and reactive aggression in child and adolescent boys.

The investigation of aggressive behaviors in specific types – reactive and proactive – on the basis of knowledge about executive dysfunctioning is important for determining both the etiology and the treatment strategies for aggression. The present study aimed to identify executive functions as the mechanisms underlying reactive and proactive aggression. Twenty-seven boys from 7 to 12 years old (M = 9.78, SD = 1.37) participated in this study. We created a sample including boys with different types of aggression and a wide range of aggression scores. Several (computerized) neurocognitive tasks were used for the measurement of the executive functions: inhibition, attention, frustration tolerance, cognitive flexibility and planning. A teacher questionnaire was administered for the reactive and proactive aggression scores of the boys. We found that the executive dysfunctions were associated with higher levels of aggression. Inhibition problems were associated with both types of...Show moreThe investigation of aggressive behaviors in specific types – reactive and proactive – on the basis of knowledge about executive dysfunctioning is important for determining both the etiology and the treatment strategies for aggression. The present study aimed to identify executive functions as the mechanisms underlying reactive and proactive aggression. Twenty-seven boys from 7 to 12 years old (M = 9.78, SD = 1.37) participated in this study. We created a sample including boys with different types of aggression and a wide range of aggression scores. Several (computerized) neurocognitive tasks were used for the measurement of the executive functions: inhibition, attention, frustration tolerance, cognitive flexibility and planning. A teacher questionnaire was administered for the reactive and proactive aggression scores of the boys. We found that the executive dysfunctions were associated with higher levels of aggression. Inhibition problems were associated with both types of aggression, but we also delineated unique factors in the prediction of reactive or proactive aggression. These results are not only important for theoretical frameworks about the etiology of aggression, but we can also underpin the importance of stimulating the development of specific executive functions for the prevention and treatment of different types of aggression.Show less

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Executive functions as the mechanisms underlying proactive and reactive aggression in child and adolescent boys.