Investigating the mediating role of affect integration in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and adulthood aggressive behaviors

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant professor, Ph.D. in health psychology, Department of Psychology, School of Social and Educational Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.

2 M.A. in general psychology, School of Social and Educational Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.

3 Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.

10.22038/jfmh.2024.76565.3101

Abstract

Introduction: Considering the destructive consequences of aggression for the individual and society and the importance of identifying influencing factors, the present study investigated the mediating role of affect integration in the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and aggression.
 
Materials and Methods: In an analytical cross-sectional study, 288 adults were selected from the general population of Iran in 2022. They responded to the short form of the childhood trauma questionnaire, risky, impulsive, and self-destructive behavior questionnaire, and the short form of the affect integration inventory. We analyzed the data using the Pearson correlation test, Fisher's z test, and structural equation modeling using SPSS version 26 and Mplus-8 software.
 
Results: There were negative correlations between aggression and affect integration components (from r= -0.36 to r= -0.42, P< 0.01) and positive correlations between aggression and ACEs (from r= 0.29 to r= 0.48, P< 0.01). The proposed model fit well with the data (RMSEA= 0.07, SRMR= 0.04, CFI= 0.95, TLI= 0.93). ACEs affected aggression both directly (β= 0.42, P< 0.01) and indirectly through the reduction of affect integration (β= 0.12, P< 0.01). Also, 34% of the total variance of affect integration and 32% of the total variance of aggression were explained by the model.
 
Conclusion: Based on the findings, adverse childhood experiences increase aggression both directly and indirectly by reducing affect integration.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Fundamentals of Mental Health
Volume 26, Issue 5
September and October 2024
Pages 291-297

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