Counter-stereotypical impulsivity and violence among African American college men

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between impulse control and violence in terms of past feelings and acts among African American males enrolled in Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Data were gathered from a sample of 1,874 male undergraduates in eleven colleges and universities with predominantly African-American students. Less than six percent were classified as impulsive, and even less than half of the impulsive males had past feelings and acts of violence. The study offers strategies for impulse control which may help to further minimize incidents of violence on the college campus.Violence is a national plague that touches every facet of American society, including the college campus. A study by Koss, Gidycz and Wisniewski (1987), estimates that as many as 50 percent of college women have experienced some form of unwanted sexual contact including rape and attempted rape. While a large number of studies (Hannan and Burkhart, 1993;Rivinus and Larimer, 1993;Pezza, 1995) attribute campus violence to alcohol and other substance abuse, Rodney, Tachia, and Rodney (1997) have shown that nurturing from the family and social support from the mother and an unrelated adult received during adolescence have a moderating effect on violence among African-American college males, However, the epidemic of violence is a complex social problem that must be tackled from other perspectives. Reid and Calis (1989) have noted that in the family environment with patterns and causes for conflict, the inability to maintain control of one's impulses will often lead to violent acts. The investigation of the role of impulsivity is, therefore, an important element not only in understanding the origins of violence, but also in the formulation of effective strategies for violence prevention and reduction.In a clinical study of impulsive people (Webster, 1997), many were found to act impulsively in two or more behavioral areas at a time, or would become subject to an impulse soon after overcoming another. Also, from his clinical experiences, Wishnie (1977) determined that although a wide range of impulsivity is treatable, prevention, rather than treatment of this disorder, is preferable. In particular, his preference includes such measures as early diagnosis of learning and other disorders, adequate child nutrition, and stable early childhood development, among others. These preventive measures are particularly relevant in an environment that is rife with economic depri-

Impulse Control Difficulties and Hostility Toward Women as Predictors of Relationship Violence Perpetration in an Undergraduate Male Sample

“…For example, PTSD symptoms have been correlated with several facets of general emotion regulation, including impulse control difficulties (Tull et al, 2007). Furthermore, in a sample of 35 survivors of a ferry collapse, those with more severe PTSD symptoms yielded higher impulsiveness scores than those with less severe PTSD symptoms (Joseph, Dalgleish, Thrasher, & Yule, 1997). Also, in a sample of 130 psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents, impulsivity and PTSD symptom severity contributed greatly to the prediction of violence perpetration.…”

“…In addition, previous research examining the relationship between trauma exposure and impulse control difficulties has focused primarily on PTSD symptom severity (Fehon et al, 2005; Joseph et al, 1997; Tull et al, 2007); however, the risk for developing PTSD following a traumatic event is approximately 5% to 8% in American men (Kessler et al, 1995; Read et al, 2011). As such, research should examine general trauma exposure in individuals without a PTSD diagnosis because of the impact that trauma exposure has on emotion regulation processes (Boden et al, 2013; Tull et al, 2007).…”

A superficial research on the phenomenon of campus violence and the standard of law prevention in China

“…Through in recent years in our campus violence injury accidents, physical damage and mental damage concurrent, and the means and different, common have slapping, hair pulling, kicking, punching, poured cold water, stripped naked, hot cigarette butts, insulting, nude pictures, forcing the victim to do some antics, which to the victim caused great physical injury and mental painful blow for the victims of the future development path of life buried under the heavy psychological shadow [7]. The occurrence of violence in our country and the results of the treatment of a probe In recent years in our country the campus violence, bullying, most of the perpetrators and not subject to legal sanctions, just by the educational institutions come forward to adjust and criticism and education, because they don't have to bear the legal age.…”