Aggression after traumatic brain injury: Analysing socially desirable responses and the nature of aggressive traits

Abstract

Impulsive verbal aggression and anger are the principal aggressive traits after brain injury. Physical aggression may present in extreme cases after TBI, but appears less prominent overall in this population. Social desirability, previously overlooked in research examining TBI aggression, emerged as an influential variable that should be considered in future TBI research.

Perspective training to treat anger problems after brain injury: Two case studies

“…(Baguley, 2006) As described earlier, recent research has connected some aspects of anger and aggression in people with ABI to the negative attributions they make about others' behaviours. Furthermore, it appears that people with ABI have a tendency to judge others' actions more harshly than their peers do (negative attribution bias) (Dyer et al, 2006;Kelley & Michela, 1980;. Based on these findings, we created a novel six-week perspectives training intervention to encourage participants with ABI to perceive others' behaviours as more benign, thereby reducing the number of situations viewed as worthy of anger, with the overall goal of reducing anger and aggression.…”

“…As expected, their negative attributions were commensurate with more intense anger. Negative attribution bias and subsequent anger and aggression can create serious interpersonal challenges affecting all areas of social participation including family relationships, friendships, leisure and social activities, and ability to participate in educational or vocational endeavours (Dyer, Bell, McCann, & Rauch, 2006).…”

Psychiatric disorders and traumatic brain injury

“…Additional approaches that have been found in the literature include the episodic dyscontrol syndrome, with recurrent crises of out of proportion or no justifi ed fury due to provocation or frustration (Gordon 1999), and the antisocial behavior due to brain injury, or "acquired sociopathy", which could also enclose the inconsideration for moral and social principles (Anderson et al 1999;Blair and Cipolotti 2000). Impulsivity and anger seem to be the main characteristics in aggression after TBI (Dyer et al 2006).…”

Family involvement in behaviour management following acquired brain injury (ABI) in community settings: A systematic review

“…Although physical and verbal aggression are the most commonly investigated [8][9][10][11][12][13][14] , there are other serious behavioural outcomes following ABI. These include sexually inappropriate behaviours [15][16][17] , socially inappropriate behaviours 2,6 , absconding 18 , apathy 19,20 , lack of initiation 6 , reduced social skills 21 , disinhibition 22 , irritability 19,23 , and mood disorders 24,25 .…”