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Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is characterized by recurrent reactive aggression. IED is associated with significant personality pathology that is suggestive of higher levels of general personality disorder (PD). However, little is known about how personality factors impact the severity and presentation of IED. The present study employed a latent class analysis to assess for distinct PD symptom classes within IED and to evaluate whether these classes differed in terms of severity and behavioral presentation. Statistical and clinical indicators revealed a four-class model, with latent classes distinguished primarily on general levels of PD symptoms (low, moderate, high). However, the two moderate PD symptom classes were distinguished from other classes on avoidant PD. In addition, classes differed in terms of severity and presentation, suggesting important implications for both general PD and avoidant PD comorbidity within IED. Results provide further insight into the heterogeneity within IED and suggest a more nuanced approach in treating this serious condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study examined potential treatment outcome predictors of a multicomponent cognitive behavioral intervention for intermittent explosive disorder (IED). Method: The sample (n = 64; 22 female) consisted of individuals with a current diagnosis of IED that completed treatment across three study trials. Treatment outcome predictors assessed included demographic variables, psychiatric comorbidity, symptom severity, and treatment motivation/engagement. Treatment outcomes were (a) change in number of past-week aggressive acts from pretreatment to posttreatment and (b) presence of IED diagnosis at posttreatment. Results: Results indicated those who endorsed lower trait anger were more likely to remit from IED diagnosis at posttreatment. No other variables were found to significantly predict treatment outcome. Conclusions: These findings support the notion that cognitive behavioral therapy can be effective for a wide range of individuals with IED, with little variation in efficaciousness based on presence of demographic characteristics, comorbid disorders, or treatment motivation/engagement. This seems to be particularly the case for individuals with lower levels of trait anger. What is the public health significance of this article?: Findings from this study suggest that cognitive behavioral therapy can be an effective treatment for a wide range of individuals diagnosed with intermittent explosive disorder. Treatment efficacy appears to be unaffected by the presence of varying demographic characteristics, comorbid psychiatric disorders, and treatment motivation, though individuals with higher trait anger may require additional support to maximize treatment benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is strongly associated with difficulties in emotion regulation, but its relationships with maladaptive cognitive processes are less clear. The current study examined relationships between self-reported NSSI (presence, number of methods, frequency, recency, duration, functions) and negative cognitive processes (rumination, worry, self-criticism, perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness) among 1,357 undergraduates. Cognition variables were submitted to exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and relationships were examined between the resulting factors and NSSI history (among the full sample) and NSSI severity and functions (among those with a history of NSSI). The EFA derived two higher order cognitive factors: repetitive negative thinking (RNT) and negative self-perception (NSP). Both RNT and NSP were significantly higher among participants with than those without a history of NSSI. Among those with NSSI, NSP, but not RNT, was positively related to lifetime NSSI frequency and number of methods, as well as recency (presence in the past 12 months) and total duration (in years) of NSSI engagement. Moreover, RNT and NSP were positively associated with aggregate intrapersonal (but not interpersonal) functions of NSSI. The two cognitive factors demonstrated differential relationships with the individual intrapersonal NSSI functions. Higher order categories of cognitive risk factors may have unique relationships with functions and severity of NSSI, with possible implications for more targeted approaches to risk assessment and intervention. Negative thinking and self-perception were higher in people who engage in NSSI. Negative self-perception was associated with greater NSSI severity. Negative thinking and self-perception had different relations to NSSI functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence is mixed regarding differences in prevalence of aggressive behavior, with many (though not all) studies suggesting that men are more aggressive than women. Furthermore, while aggression often occurs in response to provocation-induced anger, this relationship may be stronger for men; women may be more likely to engage in non-aggressive (e.g., affiliative) behaviors in response to provocation, particularly at low-level provocation. This study examined gender differences in aggression as well as differences in the relationship between anger and aggression for men and women. Adults (N = 424) participated in a behavioral aggression task, and a subset of participants (n = 304) completed a questionnaire assessing trait levels of anger as part of a larger study at a large midwestern university. Results indicated that while men and women aggressed at similar levels, aggression was significantly associated with trait anger for men only, at low levels of provocation, with only a trending relationship for high provocation. This suggests that while men and women may be equally aggressive in certain situations, this behavior may be differentially associated with anger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]