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Cited by 222Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorGenetic Associations and EpidemiologyPsychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending

Heritability of aggression and irritability: A twin study of the Buss-Durkee aggression scales in adult male subjects

Coccaro, Emil F., Bergeman, C.S., Kavoussi, Richard J., Seroczynski, A.D.·1997·Biological Psychiatry
DOI 10.1016/s0006-3223(96)00257-0
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Abstract

To determine the degree of genetic and environmental influences on assessments of aggression and irritability in male subjects, the "Motor Aggression" subscales of the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI) were mailed to 1208 male twins in the Vietnam Era Twin Registry. Data from monozygotic 182 and 118 dizygotic twin pairs were available and were analyzed using model-fitting procedures. Three of the four BDHI subscales demonstrated significant heritability of a nonadditive nature: 40% for Indirect Assault, 37% for Irritability, and 28% for Verbal Assault. Additive genetic variance accounted for 47% of the individual differences for Direct Assault. Nonshared, but not shared, environmental influences contributed to explaining the variance in the model, with estimates ranging from 53% (Direct Assault) to 72% (Verbal Assault). Because some of these BDHI scales have been shown to correlate with indices of central serotonin function, it is possible that impulsive aggression, as reflected by these scales, is heritable in men.

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Crossref · 10.1016/s0006-3223(96)00257-0

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  • Studies including adult twins do not report finding any shared environmental influences.

    “Similarly, studies including adult twins do not report finding any shared environmental influences (Table 8.2; e.g., Coccaro et al., 1997; Finkel and McGue, 1997; von der Pahlen et al., 2008; but for an exception see Czajkowski et al., 2008).”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Coccaro et al., 1997

  • In one adult twin study, indirect hostility had the lowest heritability at 28%, compared with 47% for verbal hostility and 40% for assault.

    “For example, “indirect hostility” showed the lowest heritability (28%) in one study of adult twins (Coccaro et al., 1997), compared to modest heritability for “verbal hostility” (47%) and “assault” (40%).”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Coccaro et al., 1997

  • Multivariate genetic analyses in both studies found genetic correlations among BDHI subscales below unity, supporting genetic specificity for the subscales.

    “In multivariate genetic analyses, both studies found some support for genetic specificity for the various subscales, similar to what has been found for reactive and proactive aggression, in that genetic correlations (rG) among the BDHI subscales were less than unity”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Coccaro et al., 1997

  • Studies using multifactorial aggression measures such as the BDHI suggest variability in heritability estimates across subscales, although the patterns are not entirely consistent across studies.

    “Other studies based on multifactorial measures of aggression, such as the BDHI, suggest some variability in the heritability estimates across subscales, although the patterns are not entirely consistent across studies.”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Coccaro et al., 1997

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Authors
Coccaro, E. F., Bergeman, C. S., Kavoussi, R. J., & Seroczynski, A. D.
Corresponding author
Coccaro, Emil F.
ORCID
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1997-02
Volume
41
Issue
3
Pages
273-284
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/s0006-3223(96)00257-0
OpenAlex
W1974938937
Cited by
222
References
69
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 8
FWCI
1.69
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (1 KO2-MH500951)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
Keywords
aggression, irritability, heritability, genetic factors, environmental influences, nonshared environment, monozygotic twins, dizygotic twins, Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory, verbal assault, serotonin, impulsive aggression, twin brothers
MeSH terms
Adult, Aggression, Hostility, Humans, Irritable Mood, Male, Middle Aged, Models, Psychological, Personality Inventory, Serotonin, Multivariate Analysis

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