TY  - JOUR
AB  - War-related trauma exposure has been linked to aggression and enhanced levels of community and family violence, suggesting a cycle of violence. Reactive aggression - an aggressive reaction to a perceived threat - has been associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In contrast, appetitive aggression - a hedonic, intrinsically motivated form of aggression - seems to be negatively related to PTSD
in offender and military populations. This study examined the associations between exposure to violence, trauma-related symptoms and
aggression in a civilian population. In semistructured interviews, 290 Congolese refugees were questioned about trauma exposure, PTSD
symptoms, and aggression. War-related trauma exposure correlated positively with exposure to family and community violence in the
past month (r = .31, p < .001), and appetitive (r = .18, p = .002) and reactive aggression (r = .29, p < .001). The relationship between
war-related trauma exposure and reactive aggressive behavior was mediated by PTSD symptoms and appetitive aggression. In a multiple
sequential regression analysis, trauma exposure (β = .43, p < .001) and reactive aggression (β = .36, p < .001) were positively associated
with PTSD symptoms, whereas appetitive aggression was negatively associated (β=−.13, p = .007) with PTSD symptoms. Our findings
were congruent with the cycle of violence hypothesis and indicate a differential relation between distinct subtypes of aggression and PTSD.
DA  - 2015
DO  - 10.1002/jts.22046
LA  - eng
IS  - 5
M2  - 448
PY  - 2015
SN  - 0894-9867
SP  - 448-455
T2  - Journal of Traumatic Stress
TI  - The Cycle of Violence: Associations Between Exposure to Violence, Trauma-Related Symptoms and Aggression - Findings from Congolese Refugees in Uganda
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0070-pub-29105610
Y2  - 2024-11-22T06:14:19
ER  -