Androgen levels and components of aggressive behavior in men.

Serum concentrations of testosterone (Tser), 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and free testosterone (Tsal) in saliva were determined in 117 healthy young men between the ages of 20 and 30. A battery of standardized tests and projective techniques were administered simultaneously in order to measure various components of aggression, including sexual aggressiveness. All three androgens show reliable positive correlations with self-ratings of spontaneous aggression. Dominance exhibits a positive, statistically significant correlation to Tser and to DHT. In addition, DHT is negatively related to the scale restraint of aggression. These results support previous findings about Tser and point to the importance of other androgens--especially DHT--for this aspect of endocrine-affect relationships. Interest in sexual aggression yielded no significant results for Tser and DHT (Tsal shows a low positive correlation). The ratio DHT/Tser, however, correlates significantly with this component of aggression.