Impulsive-aggression and psychopathic tendencies in female undergraduates

Impulsive-aggression was investigated in a female university sample. A base rate analysis of impulsive-aggression in male (n=220) and female (n=686) university students at the University of Tasmania was conducted. As expected, males showed higher levels of impulsivity and aggression than females, and females were more empathic than males. Results from a background questionnaire indicated that some students reported psychosocial factors consistent with characteristic impulsive-aggression. Four groups of female students (impulsive-aggressive, n=23; aggressive, n=24; impulsive, n=33; and control, n=119) were then selected on the basis of impulsivity scores and aggression scores. In comparison to other women the impulsive-aggressive group was more physically aggressive and had a greater tendency to fight or argue. They were also more likely to report a drug problem, were more sexually active, and were more likely to have faced charges as a result of antisocial activity. They also reported a large number of suicide risk factors with fewer protective social supports in place. Surprisingly, the impulsive-aggressive group did not differ from other groups on empathy scores and had lower lie scores than the other three groups. The profile of impulsive-aggressive women was similar to the diagnostic criteria for antisocial personality disorder. Subsequent investigation of psychopathic traits was conducted. Women in the impulsive-aggressive (n=11), aggressive (n=9), impulsive (n=7), and control (n=11) groups were individually interviewed following the semi-structured interview format from the PCL:SV (Hart, Cox, & Hare, 1995) and subsequently rated using the P-Scan (Hare & Herve, 1999). The impulsive-aggressive group (M=6.33, SD=3.48) scored significantly higher than all other groups (Ms<1.70, SDs<1.90) on total P-Scan psychopathy ratings and on the three facets of the P-Scan. Attentional bias was investigated with the above interviewees completing a modified Stroop task, a dot probe (words) task, and a dot probe (faces) task. No significant group differences were found for reaction times to unpleasant (aggressive) or pleasant (neutral/happy) stimuli on the Stroop task or on either of the dot probe tasks. However, impulsive-aggressive women tended to show an attentional bias towards impulsive-aggressive words (e.g., 'rape') on the dot probe (words) task, whereas aggressive women showed an attentional bias away from impulsive-aggressive words. This was evident at the longer 1500ms stimulus duration but not at the shorter duration (100ms). In general it was shown that impulsive-aggressive women were distinct from their aggressive (and other) peers. It was concluded that impulsive-aggressive women have characteristics in common with sub-clinical psychopathy, as evidenced by their P-Scan scores, antisocial behaviours, and responses to affective stimuli. Results show support for a dimensional diagnostic approach to this disorder. Further research of the relationship between impulsive-aggression and sub-clinical psychopathic tendencies is warranted.