Laboratory assessment of aggression: The Taylor Aggression Paradigm in adults with and without a disorder of impulsive aggression

Matthew A Timmins; Jennifer R Fanning; Michael S McCloskey; Mitchell E Berman; Emil F Coccaro

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.05.081

Laboratory assessment of aggression: The Taylor Aggression Paradigm in adults with and without a disorder of impulsive aggression

J Psychiatr Res. 2023 Jul:163:413-420. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.05.081. Epub 2023 May 31.

Authors

Matthew A Timmins¹, Jennifer R Fanning², Michael S McCloskey³, Mitchell E Berman⁴, Emil F Coccaro⁵

Affiliations

¹ Clinical Neuroscience and Psychotherapeutics Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical School, Columbus, OH, USA.
² Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard University, Belmont, MA, USA.
³ Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
⁴ Department of Psychology, Mississippi State University, MS, USA.
⁵ Clinical Neuroscience and Psychotherapeutics Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical School, Columbus, OH, USA. Electronic address: coccaro@osumc.edu.

PMID: 37276645
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.05.081

Abstract

Introduction: The modified Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP) has been used to study impulsive aggression in experimental designs and has been relatively successful in addressing critiques of aggression paradigms; however, little has been done to examine the potential of using the TAP as a direct measure of aggression. This study aimed to explore the psychometric properties of the TAP behavioral indexes as measures of aggression.

Methods: A community sample of 962 adults were divided into three groups based on diagnostic assessments: Intermittent Explosive Disorder; Non-Aggressive Psychiatric Disorder; or healthy controls. Participants then completed the TAP and self-report measures to assess construct validity. A subset of 47 participants completed a second TAP within one year to assess reliability. TAP indexes were based on number of "extreme" shocks selected (high shock index), average shock levels selected (mean shock index), and shocks levels selected without provocation (unprovoked aggression).

Results: Overall, TAP indexes were consistent and reliable. IED participants had the highest high shock and mean shock indexes of all groups (X² = 49.93, p < 0.001). High shock index was related to trait aggression (β = 0.184, p < 0.001) after including covariates; mean shock index had a trending association with trait anger (β = 0.102, p = 0.059).

Conclusion: TAP behavioral indexes demonstrated promising psychometrics as a measure of aggression. High shock index appears to be more strongly associated with aggressive behavior; mean shock index may better measure general hostile responding. Future research might include comparisons specifically with impulse control disorders.

Keywords: Aggression; Intermittent explosive disorder provocation anger impulsivity.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Adult
Aggression
Anger
Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders* / diagnosis
Humans
Impulsive Behavior*
Reproducibility of Results