Population heterogeneity of trait anger and differential associations of trait anger facets with borderline personality features, neuroticism, depression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and alcohol problems

Abstract

Anger is an emotion consisting of feelings of variable intensity ranging from mild irritation to intense fury. High levels of trait anger are associated with a range of psychiatric, interpersonal, and health problems. The objectives of this study were to explore heterogeneity of anger as measured by the Spielberger Trait Anger Scale (STAS), and to assess the association of the different anger facets with a selection of psychiatric disorders covering externalizing and internalizing problems, personality disorders, and substance use. Factor mixture models differentiated between a high and low scoring class (28% vs. 72%), and between three factors (anger-temperament, anger-reaction, and immediacy of an anger response). Whereas all psychiatric scales correlated significantly with the STAS total score, regressing the three STAS factors on psychiatric behaviors model showed a more detailed pattern. Only borderline affect instability and depression were significantly associated with all three factors in both classes whereas other problem behaviors were associated only with 1 or 2 of the factors. Alcohol problems were associated with immediacy only in the high scoring class, indicating a non-linear relation in the total sample. Taking into account these more specific associations is likely to be beneficial when investigating differential treatment strategies.

Inter-hemispherical asymmetry in default-mode functional connectivity and BAIAP2 gene are associated with anger expression in ADHD adults

“…Anger management may be difficult for ADHD adults, as impulsivity and mood changes in this pathology often lead to very abrupt and intense anger expressions (Lubke et al, 2015). These symptoms may reflect emotion dysregulation processes that represent a key diagnostic feature of ADHD (Shaw et al, 2014).…”

Aggression Profiles in the Spanish Child Population: Differences in Perfectionism, School Refusal and Affect

“…This study is based on the conceptualization of aggression as proposed by Buss and Perry ( 1992 ) who consider aggressive behavior to be the combination of three components: emotional (Anger), cognitive (Hostility) and motor (Physical and Verbal Aggression). Anger is an emotion that involves feelings of variable intensity ranging from mild irritation to intense fury (Lubke et al, 2015 ). Hostility refers to a cognitive state consisting of attitudes and feelings of negative evaluation toward others, such as cynicism, mistrust and suspicion (Fabiansson and Denson, 2016 ).…”

Personality Correlates of Self-Injury in Adolescent Girls: Disentangling the Effects of Lifetime Psychopathology

“…That aNSSI has been linked to high neuroticism does not specify which neuroticism facets are most relevant to understanding self-injury. Indeed, facets have shown differential patterns of association and incremental validity with mood and anxiety disorders, especially facets in the neuroticism and extraversion domains (Bienvenu et al, 2004; Gamez, Watson, & Doebbeling, 2007; Lubke, Ouwens, de Moor, Trull, & Boomsma, 2015; Naragon-Gainey & Watson, 2014; Naragon-Gainey, Watson, & Markon, 2009; Rector, Bagby, Huta, & Ayearst, 2012; Uliaszek et al, 2009; Watson, Stasik, Ellickson-Larew, & Stanton, 2015). In contrast to the more heterogeneous higher order traits, each facet emphasizes a particular dimension of clinically relevant individual differences.…”