Relational Aggression in Adolescents with Conduct Disorder: Sex Differences and Behavioral Correlates

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Katharina Ackermann - , University Hospital Frankfurt (Author)
  • Marietta Kirchner - , University Hospital Heidelberg (Author)
  • Anka Bernhard - , Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Aachen, University Hospital Frankfurt (Author)
  • Anne Martinelli - , University Hospital Frankfurt (Author)
  • Chrysanthi Anomitri - , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Author)
  • Rosalind Baker - , University of Alabama at Birmingham (Author)
  • Sarah Baumann - , University Hospital Aachen (Author)
  • Roberta Dochnal - , University of Szeged (Author)
  • Aranzazu Fernandez-Rivas - , Hospital de Basurto (Author)
  • Karen Gonzalez-Madruga - , University of Southampton (Author)
  • Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann - , University Hospital Aachen (Author)
  • Amaia Hervas - , University Hospital Mutua Terrassa (Author)
  • Lucres Jansen - , Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) (Author)
  • Kristina Kapornai - , University of Szeged (Author)
  • Linda Kersten - , University Psychiatric Clinics Basel (UPK) (Author)
  • Gregor Kohls - , Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Aachen (Author)
  • Ronald Limprecht - , University Hospital Heidelberg (Author)
  • Helen Lazaratou - , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Author)
  • Ana McLaughlin - , St. James Hospital (Author)
  • Helena Oldenhof - , Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) (Author)
  • Jack C Rogers - , University of Alabama at Birmingham (Author)
  • Réka Siklósi - , University of Szeged (Author)
  • Areti Smaragdi - , Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) (Author)
  • Esther Vivanco-Gonzalez - , Hospital de Basurto (Author)
  • Christina Stadler - , University Psychiatric Clinics Basel (UPK) (Author)
  • Graeme Fairchild - , University of Bath (Author)
  • Arne Popma - , Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) (Author)
  • Stephane A De Brito - , University of Alabama at Birmingham (Author)
  • Kerstin Konrad - , University Hospital Aachen (Author)
  • Christine M Freitag - , University Hospital Frankfurt (Author)

Abstract

As most research on conduct disorder (CD) has been conducted on male participants, it has been suggested that female-specific symptoms may be underestimated based on current DSM-5 criteria. In particular, relational aggression, i.e. the hurtful, often indirect, manipulation of relationships with the intention of damaging the other's social position, has been proposed as a characteristic of CD that is more common in females. In addition, sex-specific studies on correlates of relational aggressive behavior are lacking. Relational aggression may be strongly related to the correlates of proactive aggression, namely low affective empathy, and high levels of callous-unemotional (CU) traits and relational victimization. Thus, the present study investigated sex differences in relational aggression, and associations between relational aggression and correlates of proactive aggression in 662 adolescents with CD (403 females) and 849 typically-developing controls (568 females) aged 9-18 years (M = 14.74, SD = 2.34) from the European multi-site FemNAT-CD study. Females with CD showed significantly higher levels of relational aggression compared to males with CD, whereas no sex differences were seen in controls. Relational aggression was only partly related to correlates of proactive aggression in CD: Independent of sex, CU traits showed a positive association with relational aggression. In females only, cognitive, but not affective empathy, was negatively associated with relational aggression. Relational victimization was more strongly associated with relational aggression in males compared to females. Despite interesting sex specific correlates of relational aggression, effects are small and the potential clinical implications should be investigated in future studies.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1625-1637
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of abnormal child psychology
Volume47
Issue number10
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2019
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85064498214

Keywords

Keywords

  • Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior/physiology, Aggression/physiology, Child, Child Behavior/physiology, Conduct Disorder/physiopathology, Empathy/physiology, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Sex Characteristics, Social Behavior