Hormonal Profile in Response to an Empathic Induction Task in Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence: Oxytocin/Testosterone Ratio and Social Cognition

Abstract

Empathy deficits have been proposed to be an important factor for intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV perpetrators have shown a differential change in salivary oxytocin (sOXT), testosterone (sT), and cortisol (sC), following empathic and stress tasks, compared to non-violent men. However, the influence of empathic deficits in those hormones after an emotion-induction task in IPV perpetrators remains unclear. We analyzed the effects of an empathic induction task on endogenous sOXT, sT and sC levels, as well as their hormonal ratios, in IPV perpetrators (n = 12), and compared them to controls (n = 12). Additionally, we explored the predictive capacity of empathy-related functions (measured with the interpersonal reactivity index) in the hormonal responses to the task. IPV perpetrators presented lower sOXT changes and higher total sT levels than controls after the task, lower sOXT/T change and total sOXT/T levels, as well as higher total sT/C levels. Notably, for all participants, the lower the perspective taking score, the lower the total sOXT levels and sOXT changes and the higher the sT changes were. Low perspective taking also predicted smaller sOXT/T and sOXT/C changes in the empathic induction task, and higher total sT/C levels for all participants. Therefore, our results could contribute to furthering our ability to focus on new therapeutic targets, increasing the effectiveness of intervention programs and helping to reduce IPV recidivism in the medium term.

Weakened sympathetic response and lower parasympathetic activity in intimate partner violence perpetrators when empathizing: Influence of autonomous activation in affective approach and prosocial behavior

“…These results reinforce the hypothesis of a complex interaction between the SNS and PNS for a functional engagement with the emotional state of others, which may ultimately predispose to the performance of prosocial behaviors (Gilbert, 2017). Concerning the group effect, socio-affective deficits in IPV perpetrators might account for the increased variance among controls (Brem et al, 2018;Comes-Fayos, Blanco-Gandía, et al, 2022;Mayer et al, 2018).…”

“…Before visualization, the participants were told to actively empathize with the victim in each scene (previously indicated). Consistent with previous studies (Procyshyn et al, 2020;Schaefer et al, 2010), participants were required to relax for 1 min before watching each scene (for more details, see Comes-Fayos, Romero-Martínez, et al, 2022). After completion of the empathic induction task, participants underwent a 15-min psychophysiological recovery phase.…”

“…The procedure was based on three phases: (1) presentation of problems subscribed to six Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs), (2) evaluation of the NGOs' impact on the problems, and (3) factual opportunity to perform helping behavior through a voluntary donation. The donation was extracted from the remuneration received by the participants (for more details, see Comes-Fayos, Blanco-Gandía, et al, 2022). To conclude, the psychophysiological electrodes were removed; the participants received their remuneration and were dismissed.…”

“…Finally, there is a growing body of literature investigating protective factors in IPV, such as prosocial behavior (Boduszek et al, 2019;Comes-Fayos, Blanco-Gandía, et al, 2022). Notably, prosocial behavior has been exposed to have a significant relationship with the ANS (Gilbert, 2017;Yu & Hao, 2022).…”

“…Indeed, impairments in socio‐affective functions have been identified as a significant risk factor for IPV (Brem et al, 2018), with many IPV perpetrators reporting difficulties in identifying and expressing their own and others' emotions (Romero‐Martinez et al, 2021). Several authors have postulated that deficits in empathy, the ability to understand and share another person's emotional experience might make IPV perpetrators prone to violence (Comes‐Fayos, Romero‐Martínez, et al, 2022; Romero‐Martínez et al, 2019). Notably, a maladaptive emotional response to others' emotions (i.e., poor social engagement) has been exposed as a critical variable for IPV, as abnormalities in this domain have been strongly related to violent behaviors in IPV perpetrators (Godfrey et al, 2020; Sáez et al, 2022).…”