Griffith Rebecca L, Henry Luke C, Raine Adrian, Stepp Stephanie D, Byrd Amy L
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh.
Departments of Neurological Surgery and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh.
J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2025 Jul 16:1-15. doi: 10.1080/15374416.2025.2521864.
Aggression is a transdiagnostic indicator of psychopathology and one of the most common reasons for youth mental health referrals. Deficits in executive function are linked to aggression in youth, yet few longitudinal studies exist and fewer examine differential associations between components of executive function (inhibition, working memory, cognitive flexibility) and subtypes of aggression (reactive and proactive).
This preregistered study investigated longitudinal associations between shared and unique components of executive function and trajectories of reactive and proactive aggression over 18 months in adolescents at high risk for aggression ( = 103, M = 16.1, 53% female, 60% racial/ethnic minoritized groups). The NIHToolbox Cognition battery was used to assess components of executive function at baseline, and subtypes of aggression were measured using youth- and parent-report on the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire at baseline, 9-months, and 18-months. Trajectories of reactive and proactive aggression were modeled using latent growth curve modeling and associations between executive function and aggression were examined using structural equation modeling.
Trajectories of reactive and proactive aggression showed an overall decline across informants. Contrary to prediction, associations between executive function and aggression trajectories were specific to youth-reported proactive aggression and only found when examining associations with unique (versus shared) components of executive function. Specifically, lower inhibition was associated with steeper declines in proactive aggression and lower cognitive flexibility was associated with steeper increases in proactive aggression.
Findings underscore the importance of examining components of executive function, particularly inhibition and cognitive flexibility, in the development of subtypes of aggression among high-risk youth.
攻击行为是精神病理学的一个跨诊断指标，也是青少年心理健康转诊的最常见原因之一。执行功能缺陷与青少年的攻击行为有关，但纵向研究较少，且很少有研究考察执行功能各组成部分（抑制、工作记忆、认知灵活性）与攻击行为亚型（反应性和主动性）之间的差异关联。
这项预先注册的研究调查了具有攻击行为高风险的青少年（n = 103，M = 16.1岁，53%为女性，60%为少数族裔群体）在18个月内执行功能的共享和独特组成部分与反应性和主动性攻击行为轨迹之间的纵向关联。使用NIHToolbox认知测试套件在基线时评估执行功能的组成部分，并在基线、9个月和18个月时使用青少年和家长报告的反应性-主动性攻击问卷来测量攻击行为亚型。使用潜在增长曲线模型对反应性和主动性攻击行为轨迹进行建模，并使用结构方程模型检验执行功能与攻击行为之间的关联。
反应性和主动性攻击行为轨迹在各报告者中总体呈下降趋势。与预测相反，执行功能与攻击行为轨迹之间的关联仅针对青少年报告的主动性攻击行为，并且仅在考察与执行功能的独特（而非共享）组成部分的关联时才发现。具体而言，较低的抑制能力与主动性攻击行为的更陡峭下降相关，较低的认知灵活性与主动性攻击行为的更陡峭增加相关。
研究结果强调了在高风险青少年攻击行为亚型发展过程中考察执行功能组成部分，特别是抑制和认知灵活性的重要性。
