Social Information Processing in Anger Expression and Partner Violence in Returning US Veterans

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. Resumen PROCESAMIENTO DE LA INFORMACIN SOCIAL Y AGRESIN Examinamos los factores de procesamiento de la informacion social que podrian representar vias a traves de los cuales los sintomas de trastorno por estres postraumatico (TEPT) se relacionan con la expresion de ira y la perpetracion de violencia intima en la pareja (VIP) en veteranos que vuelven a EEUU. La muestra incluyo 92 hombres veteranos de la Operacion Libertad Duradera/ Operacion de Liberacion Iraqui, primariamente caucasicos (77.4%), con un numero pequeno de americanos de origen africano, asiatico, hispanico o latino, indio americano o nativos de Alaska, y otros participantes minoritarios (9.7%,2.2%,2.2%,3.2% y 5.3% respectivamente). El promedio de edad fue 40.37 (DE = 9.63) anos. Los datos fueron recolectados a traves de cuestionarios autoreportados TEPT lista de verificacion, Escala de Expresion de Ira, Escalas de Tacticas de Conflicto Revisadas) y los Pensamientos Articulados del protocolo experimental de Situaciones Simuladas. Evaluaciones de los sesgos cognitivos y las atribuciones hostiles basadas en Laboratorio fueron probadas como mediadores de asociaciones entre los sintomas de TEPT y expresion de ira y PIV. Entre los grupos de sintomas de TEPT, los sintomas de hiperalerta fueron mas fuertemente asociados con la expresion de ira (r = .50) y perpetracion de PIV (r = .23). Se discuten las implicaciones de estos hallazgos para la comprension de los mecanismos de procesamiento de la informacion social para la relacion entre los sintomas de TEPT y la agresion. Traditional and Simplified Chinese Abstracts by AsianSTSS ?? : ????????????????????? ??: ??????????????????????,??????????????(PTSD)??????????????(IPV)???????????92?????????(OEF)??????????(OIF)??????,??????(77.4%),?????????????????????????????????????,????????(???9.7%, 2.2%, 2.2%, 3.2% ?5.3%)????????40.37?(SD = 9.63) ?????????? (PTSD?????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????,????????PTSD????????IPV??????????PTSD????,???????????(r = .50) ?IPV??(r = .27)???????????PTSD????????PTSD???????????????????????????IPV??????(r = .23)?????????????????????????,????PTSD??????????? ? ?? : ????????????????????? ??: ??????????????????????,??????????????(PTSD)??????????????(IPV)???????????92?????????(OEF)??????????(OIF)??????,??????(77.4%),?????????????????????????????????????,????????(???9.7%, 2.2%, 2.2%, 3.2% ? 5.3%)????????40.37?(SD = 9.63) ?????????? (PTSD?????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????,????????PTSD????????IPV?????????PTSD????,???????????(r = .50) ?IPV??(r = .27)???????????PTSD????????PTSD??????????????????????????IPV??????(r = .23)??????????????????????????,????PTSD??????????? ?