Impulsive and premeditated subtypes of aggression in conduct disorder: differences in time estimation

Abstract

Research aimed at identifying and studying subtypes of aggression have historically dichotomized aggressive subtypes, although specific nomenclature has varied; one approach has been to classify aggressive behavior as predominantly impulsive or predominantly premeditated. There are a number of behavioral and cognitive differences between those exhibiting these different forms of aggression. This study was designed to extend understanding of the impulsive/premeditated aggression dichotomy by comparing time estimation among adolescents exhibiting predominantly impulsive or predominantly premeditated forms of physical aggression who have a psychiatric diagnosis of conduct disorder (CD). Time estimation has previously been shown to be disrupted in impulsive and some aggressive individuals. Time estimation was compared between healthy Controls (n = 37) and two groups of adolescents with CD, those with histories of either predominantly impulsive (CD-Impulsive, n = 26) or predominantly premeditated (CD-Premeditated, n = 38) aggressive behaviors. Participants completed five computerized trials during which they estimated when 1 min had passed. Among aggressive adolescents with CD, the misperception of time was specific to those with histories of impulsive aggression, although time estimates improved with repeated testing and performance feedback. This study confirms the importance of considering the role and type of physical aggression when studying heterogeneous diagnostic groups like CD and supports the relevance of time estimation to certain subgroups of adolescents with CD.

Inhibition, Reinforcement Sensitivity and Temporal Information Processing in ADHD and ADHD+ODD: Evidence of a Separate Entity?

“…A third potentially underlying neurocognitive deficit in ADHD and ODD is a deficit in temporal information processing (Castellanos and Tannock 2002 ; Dougherty et al 2007 ). Temporal information processing is the ability to order sequential events in time and the ability to create rhythms; skills that depend on intact time perception, time discrimination and time (re)production (Ivry 1996 ).…”

“…Temporal information processing is the ability to order sequential events in time and the ability to create rhythms; skills that depend on intact time perception, time discrimination and time (re)production (Ivry 1996 ). There is evidence of temporal information processing impairments in children with ADHD and adolescents with anti-social behavior in terms of an internal clock that runs too fast (Barratt and Patton 1983 ; Dougherty et al 2007 ; Toplak et al 2006 ), and a decreased stability of time estimation output (Dougherty et al 2007 ; Luman et al 2008 ). Thus, in these groups time seems to elapse too quickly and too variably, which may explain their problems with waiting and planning (APA 2000 ).…”

Responses to Scenarios That May Provoke Acts of Conflict and Aggression Among the General Public: An Exploratory Study

“…His position, therefore, is that violence may not be the result of antisocial, outlandish criminal behavior, but, instead, an issue that is much more complex than previously conceived and one that deserves further investigation. Such a stance by Berkowitz on the normative process of violent behavior and his "hostile aggression" dimension has been empirically supported within the literature (e.g., Anderson, Anderson, Dill, & Deuser, 1998;Berkowitz, 1988;Campbell, Muncer, & Bibel, 1985;Dill & Anderson, 1995;Dougherty et al, 2007).…”

Ethanol-induced autonomic responses and risk taking increase in young adults with a positive family history of alcohol problems

“…Time perception and risk taking are two processes that are related to impulsivity. Impulsive individuals exhibit abnormal timing functioning (Baumann & Odum, 2012;Dougherty et al, 2007;Rubia, Halari, Christakou, & Taylor, 2009) and greater behavioral risk taking in the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART; Cyders et al, 2010;Pilatti, Fernández, Viola, García, & Pautassi, 2017).…”