The Predictive Value of Early-Life Trauma, Psychopathy, and the Testosterone-Cortisol Ratio for Impulsive Aggression Problems in Veterans
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Pauline O J Korpel1,2, Tim Varkevisser1,2, Sylco S Hoppenbrouwers3
1Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Background:
In this study, we examined whether early-life trauma, psychopathy, and the testosterone/cortisol ratio predicted impulsive aggression problems in veterans.
Method:
A sample of 49 male veterans with impulsive aggression problems and 51 nonaggressive veterans were included in the study. Logistic regression analysis was performed with early-life trauma, primary and secondary psychopathy, and testosterone/cortisol ratio as continuous predictor variables; impulsive aggression status was entered as a binary outcome measure. Correlation analyses were conducted to examine pairwise relations among the predictors.
Results:
Results indicated that early-life trauma and secondary psychopathy, but not the testosterone/cortisol ratio or primary psychopathy, were significant predictors of impulsive aggression status.
Conclusions:
The current results indicate that early-life trauma and secondary psychopathy are risk factors for impulsive aggression problems among veterans. Future studies are needed to determine the exact causal relations among the variables examined here.
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