Alexithymia and aggressiveness in old age: Mediation by impulsivity and emotion dysregulation
Aggressiveness is prevalent in old age, and to adapt treatments and diminish the accompanying damage to the self and others, it is important to understand aggressiveness predictors. Poor emotional awareness, impulsivity, and emotion dysregulation are potential mechanisms influencing aggressiveness....
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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UCOPress
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Psychology, Society & Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.uco.es/psye/article/view/14180 |
| _version_ | 1797650348076171264 |
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| author | Helena Espirito-Santo Fernanda Daniel Laura Lemos Luis Simões-Cunha Alexandra Grasina |
| author_facet | Helena Espirito-Santo Fernanda Daniel Laura Lemos Luis Simões-Cunha Alexandra Grasina |
| author_sort | Helena Espirito-Santo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aggressiveness is prevalent in old age, and to adapt treatments and diminish the accompanying damage to the self and others, it is important to understand aggressiveness predictors. Poor emotional awareness, impulsivity, and emotion dysregulation are potential mechanisms influencing aggressiveness. The present study examines whether alexithymia, emotion dysregulation, and impulsivity influence aggressiveness in older adults; and whether the effect of alexithymia is conditioned by emotional dysregulation and impulsivity after controlling for probable confounders. The sample consisted of 326 Portuguese older adults (63.2% female) aged 60-96 years from residential care homes and the community. Participants completed report instruments measuring alexithymia, emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and aggressiveness. Results of the mediation analysis showed that older adults who had more alexithymia tended to report higher levels of emotional dysregulation and impulsivity, which in turn accounted for higher reported aggressiveness. All these effects were independent of cognitive functioning and depressive symptoms. This study suggests the relevance of evaluating and intervening on alexithymia, impulsivity, and emotion dysregulation to reducing aggressiveness in older people.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T15:59:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-757a05a00fcf42ed982342fc7bc06ef3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1989-709X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T15:59:55Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | UCOPress |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Psychology, Society & Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-757a05a00fcf42ed982342fc7bc06ef32023-10-25T07:29:14ZengUCOPressPsychology, Society & Education1989-709X2022-03-0114110.21071/psye.v14i1.14180Alexithymia and aggressiveness in old age: Mediation by impulsivity and emotion dysregulationHelena Espirito-Santo 0Fernanda Daniel1Laura Lemos2Luis Simões-Cunha 3Alexandra Grasina4Miguel Torga Higher Education InstituteMiguel Torga Higher Education Institute; University of CoimbraMiguel Torga Higher Education InstituteMiguel Torga Higher Education Institute; Instituto Universitário MilitarMiguel Torga Higher Education InstituteAggressiveness is prevalent in old age, and to adapt treatments and diminish the accompanying damage to the self and others, it is important to understand aggressiveness predictors. Poor emotional awareness, impulsivity, and emotion dysregulation are potential mechanisms influencing aggressiveness. The present study examines whether alexithymia, emotion dysregulation, and impulsivity influence aggressiveness in older adults; and whether the effect of alexithymia is conditioned by emotional dysregulation and impulsivity after controlling for probable confounders. The sample consisted of 326 Portuguese older adults (63.2% female) aged 60-96 years from residential care homes and the community. Participants completed report instruments measuring alexithymia, emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and aggressiveness. Results of the mediation analysis showed that older adults who had more alexithymia tended to report higher levels of emotional dysregulation and impulsivity, which in turn accounted for higher reported aggressiveness. All these effects were independent of cognitive functioning and depressive symptoms. This study suggests the relevance of evaluating and intervening on alexithymia, impulsivity, and emotion dysregulation to reducing aggressiveness in older people. https://journals.uco.es/psye/article/view/14180aggressioncommunityemotion dysregulationmultiple mediational analysisresidential care institutions |
| spellingShingle | Helena Espirito-Santo Fernanda Daniel Laura Lemos Luis Simões-Cunha Alexandra Grasina Alexithymia and aggressiveness in old age: Mediation by impulsivity and emotion dysregulation Psychology, Society & Education aggression community emotion dysregulation multiple mediational analysis residential care institutions |
| title | Alexithymia and aggressiveness in old age: Mediation by impulsivity and emotion dysregulation |
| title_full | Alexithymia and aggressiveness in old age: Mediation by impulsivity and emotion dysregulation |
| title_fullStr | Alexithymia and aggressiveness in old age: Mediation by impulsivity and emotion dysregulation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Alexithymia and aggressiveness in old age: Mediation by impulsivity and emotion dysregulation |
| title_short | Alexithymia and aggressiveness in old age: Mediation by impulsivity and emotion dysregulation |
| title_sort | alexithymia and aggressiveness in old age mediation by impulsivity and emotion dysregulation |
| topic | aggression community emotion dysregulation multiple mediational analysis residential care institutions |
| url | https://journals.uco.es/psye/article/view/14180 |
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