Posttraumatic stress disorder and aggressive behavior in adolescents: A longitudinal and interpersonal functional approach

This longitudinal study examined the mediating role of interpersonal distrust and empathy in the association between PTSD symptom clusters and aggressive behavior. Three hundred and seventy-four adolescents (13-17 years old) were selected in Lushan county 3.5 years after the Ya'an earthquake. Participants answered a series of self-report questionnaires assessing PTSD, aggressive behavior, interpersonal distrust, and empathy. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Results showed that intrusive and avoidance PTSD symptom clusters had a non-significant relationship with aggressive behavior. However, the hyperarousal symptom cluster had a significant direct relationship with aggressive behavior, and the negative alterations in cognition and mood symptom cluster had a significant indirect relationship with aggressive behavior through interpersonal distrust or through interpersonal distrust via empathy. The findings show that interpersonal distrust and empathy mediated the association between PTSD and aggressive behavior, suggesting that interpersonal factors play an important role in mediating the relationship between PTSD and aggression.