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The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 16L:8D photoperiod with green (GREEN) or white (WHITE) lights during incuba-tion on hatching performance, blood melatonin, corti-costerone, and serotonin levels, hypothalamic expressions of genes related to photoreception, seroto-nin, and stress systems in layers in relation with feather pecking behavior. Dark incubation (DARK) was the control. Eggs (n = 1,176) from Brown Nick breeders in 2 batches (n = 588/batch) were incubated in the exper-iment. A total of 396 female chicks and 261 hens were used at rearing and laying periods until 40 wk. Incuba-tion lighting did not affect hatchability, day-old chick weight, and length, but resulted in a more synchronized hatch as compared with the DARK. The effect of incu-bation lighting on blood hormones was not significant except for reduced serotonin in the GREEN group at the end of the experiment. There was no effect of incu-bation lighting on gentle, severe, and aggressive peck-ing of birds during the early rearing period. From 16 wk, GREEN hens showed increased gentle pecking with increasing age. WHITE hens had the highest gen-tle pecking frequency at 16 wk while they performed less gentle but higher severe and aggressive pecks at 24 and 32 wk. At hatching, the hypothalamic expression of CRH, 5-HTR1A, and 5-HTR1B was higher for the WHITE group compared with both GREEN and DARK, however, 5-HTT expression was higher in GREEN than WHITE which was similar to DARK. Except for the highest VA opsin expression obtained for WHITE hens at 40 wk of age, there was no change in hypothalamic expression levels of rhodopsin, VA opsin, red, and green opsins at any age. Although blood hormone levels were not consistent, results provide pre-liminary evidence that incubation lighting modulates the pecking tendencies of laying hens, probably through the observed changes in hypothalamic expres-sion of genes related to the serotonin system and stress. Significant correlations among the hypothalamic gene expression levels supplied further evidence for the asso-ciations among photoreception, serotonin, and stress systems., Ege University [16-ZRF-071, 18-ZRF-026], ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Rudie Koopmanschap from Wageningen University is acknowledged for the analysis of whole-blood serotonin levels. This study was funded by Ege University (grant numbers: 16-ZRF-071, and 18-ZRF-026) .

Contains fulltext : 217705.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) Background: Attributions are cognitive variables that influence a person's behaviour. Although a large volume of research has been conducted on the attributions of support staff with regard to challenging behaviour (CB) exhibited by people with intellectual disabilities (ID), studies on patterns of attributional dimensions (i.e. attributional styles) are scarce. Method: Using semi-structured interviews, 19 support staff members were asked to describe incidents of aggressive, self-injurious and sexualized challenging behaviour. Data on attributions were analysed using the Leeds Attributional Coding System. Results: Four attributional styles differed significantly for aggressive, self-injurious and sexualized challenging behaviour. In addition, support staff members largely attributed these three types of CB to characteristics and behaviour of clients with ID. Conclusions: The results indicate that it is important to train support staff to recognize and understand the ways in which their attributions and behaviour influence the existence and maintenance of CB. 10 p.

The ABC method is a behaviour management technique for use by nurses. ABC refers to the identification of Antecedent events, target Behaviours, and Consequent events. In this longitudinal intervention study with double baseline measurements we evaluated the effectiveness of the ABC method in patients with behavioural problems after acquired brain injury. Fifty-six patients participated in this study. Outcome was measured in terms of overall neuropsychiatric problem behaviour, aggression, apathy and emotional burden experienced by nurses. A process evaluation was performed to investigate usability and acceptability of the method and identify factors that influenced effectiveness. Friedman's ANOVA showed a small significant reduction over time in overall neuropsychiatric problem behaviour and aggression. The reduction was most prominent between the first baseline measurement and the post-implementation and follow-up measurements, not between the second baseline measurement and the post-implementation or follow-up measurements. This first group study on the effects of the ABC method could not prove this technique is effective for patients with behavioural problems after acquired brain injury. Nurses indicated that the ABC method was not fully implemented in their daily routines. This may have influenced results and makes it yet premature to draw firm conclusions on the effects of the ABC method.

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) promotes the survival of dopaminergic neurons in vitro and in vivo. For this reason, GDNF is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, how endogenous GDNF influences dopamine system function and animal behavior is not fully understood. We recently generated GDNF hypermorphic mice that express increased levels of endogenous GDNF from the native locus, resulting in augmented function of the nigrostriatal dopamine system. Specifically, Gdnf wt/hyper mice have a mild increase in striatal and midbrain dopamine levels, increased dopamine transporter activity, and 15% increased numbers of midbrain dopamine neurons and striatal dopaminergic varicosities. Since changes in the dopamine system are implicated in several neuropsychiatric diseases, including schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression, and ectopic GDNF delivery associates with side-effects in PD models and clinical trials, we further investigated Gdnf wt/hyper mice using 20 behavioral tests. Despite increased dopamine levels, dopamine release and dopamine transporter activity, there were no differences in psychiatric disease related phenotypes. However, compared to controls, male Gdnf wt/hyper mice performed better in tests measuring motor function. Therefore, a modest elevation of endogenous GDNF levels improves motor function but does not induce adverse behavioral outcomes.

Background: Cross-sectional studies report relations between externalizing behavior and structural abnormalities in cortical thickness of prefrontal regions and volume reductions in subcortical regions. To understand how these associations emerge and develop, longitudinal designs are pivotal. Method: In the current longitudinal study, a community sample of children, adolescents and young adults (N = 271) underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in three biennial waves (680 scans). At each wave, aspects of externalizing behavior were assessed with parent-reported aggression and rule-breaking scores (Child Behavior Checklist), and self-reported aggression scores (Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire). Regions of interest (ROIs) were selected based on prior research: dorsolateral prefrontal (dlPFC), orbitofrontal (OFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), insula, and parahippocampal cortex, as well as subcortical regions. Linear mixed models were used to assess the longitudinal relation between externalizing behavior and structural brain development. Structural covariance analyses were employed to identify whether longitudinal relations between ROIs (maturational coupling) were associated with externalizing behavior. Results: Linear mixed model analyses showed a negative relation between parent-reported aggression and right hippocampal volume. Moreover, this longitudinal relation was driven by change in hippocampal volume and not initial volume of hippocampus at time point 1. Exploratory analyses showed that stronger maturational coupling between prefrontal regions, the limbic system, and striatum was associated with both low and high externalizing behavior. Conclusions: Together, these findings reinforce the hypothesis that altered structural brain development coincides with development of more externalizing behavior. These findings may guide future research on normative and deviant development of externalizing behavior.

Place: Oxford Publisher: Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd WOS:000514255000004; International audience; Individual stress coping style (reactive, intermediate and proactive) was determined in 3 groups of 120 pit tagged European seabass using the hypoxia avoidance test. The same three groups (no change in social composition) were then reared according to the standards recommended for this species. Then, 127 days later, individuals initially characterized as reactive, intermediate or proactive were submitted to an acute confinement stress for 30 min. Blood samples were taken to measure plasma cortisol levels 30 min (Stress30) or 150 min (Stress150) after the end of the confinement stress. Individuals were then sacrificed to sample the telencephalon in order to measure the main monoamines and their catabolites (at Stress30 only). Individuals from Stress150 were sampled for whole brain for a transcriptomic analysis. The main results showed that reactive individuals had a lower body mass than intermediate individuals which did not differ from proactive individuals. The physiological cortisol response did not differ between coping style at Stress30 but at Stress150 when intermediate and proactive individuals had recovered pre stress levels, reactive individuals showed a significant higher level illustrating a modulation of stress recovery by coping style. Serotonin turnover ratio was higher in proactive and reactive individuals compared to intermediate individuals and a significant positive correlation was observed with cortisol levels whatever the coping style. Further, the confinement stress led to a general increase in the serotonin turnover comparable between coping styles. Stress150 had a significant effect on target mRNA copy number (Gapdh mRNA copy number decreased while ifrd1 mRNA copy number increased) and such changes tended to depend upon coping style.

Contains fulltext : 200490.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) Burnout in nursing staff is a major cause for turnover and absenteeism. Identifying risk and protective factors may be helpful in decreasing burnout symptoms. Moreover, research indicates that ambulatory assessments of the autonomic nervous system might be helpful in detecting long-term stress and burnout symptoms. One hundred and ten forensic nursing staff members completed questionnaires measuring experiences with aggressive behaviour, emotional intelligence, personality, and job stress during four waves of data collection across a 2-year period. Multilevel analyses were used to test the predicted associations and moderation effects with (the development of) burnout symptoms. Burnout was predicted by a combination of emotional intelligence, job stress, aggression, personality factors, and skin conductance, but no moderation effects over time were found. Over a period of 2 years, the model approximately predicts a change in one burnout category on the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The amount of burnout symptoms in nurses might be used as an indicator to predict turnover and absenteeism considering the increase in symptoms over time. Nursing staff who experience severe aggression and who have relatively low levels of emotional intelligence and altruism and high levels of neuroticism and job stress should be monitored and supported to decrease the risk of burnout. Staff members can be trained to increase their emotional intelligence and relieve stress to decrease their burnout symptoms and turnover and absenteeism on the long term. Ambulatory assessment might be helpful as a nonintrusive way to detect increasing levels of burnout. 12 p.

Group housing of gestating sows benefits their welfare by allowing them freedom of movement and the opportunity for social interaction. However, social life could also bring disadvantages for individuals who receive direct aggression or are displaced from the feeder. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between social behaviour, body condition and live weight. Gestating sows (n=298) were investigated on a commercial farm. Sows were housed in mixed parity groups where two single space, ad libitum trough feeders served 12 animals. Sows were weighed, body condition scored and had their back fat layer measured at mixing, 4 weeks after insemination and again before farrowing. Social status was estimated based on the numbers of won and lost agonistic interactions at mixing and at the end of gestation. In addition, tear staining was scored before the farrowing and reproductive performance data were collected. With the aid of video recordings, 100 to 150 interactions per group were observed. Winning percentage at mixing and at the end of gestation were associated (Plt;0.05) and appeared relatively stable within individuals. Tear staining scores and litter sizes were not associated with winning percentage at the end of gestation. However, live weight, relative weight, body condition and back fat thickness were associated with winning percentage (Plt;0.05), giving heavier animals an advantage. Low winning percentage related to lower live weight gain, probably due to poorer success in competition for feed. Live weight within a mixed parity group could be used as a proxy measure for social status. Sows with low body condition score and submissive sows might need special attention with regard to group dynamics and housing to alleviate the effects of competition in group housing.

Two studies investigated whether parent-child discussion of peer provocations reduces young children's hostile attributional bias. Study 1 (N = 109, age 4-7)-an observational study-showed that parent-child discussion of nonhostile attributions (when reading a picture book) predicted reductions in children's hostile attributional bias from pre- to postdiscussion. Study 2 (N = 160, age 4-6)-an experimental study-showed that stimulating parents to discuss either nonhostile attributions or normative beliefs (vs. a control condition) reduced children's hostile attributional bias in response to hypothetical vignettes, but not in response to a staged peer provocation. These findings suggest that by framing social situations, parents may help their children perceive less hostility in their social worlds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Executive function and intelligence are negatively associated with aggression, yet the role of executive function has rarely been examined in the context of school bullying. We studied whether different domains of executive function and non-verbal intelligence are associated with bullying involvement in early elementary school. The association was examined in a population-based sample of 1,377 children. At age 4 years we assessed problems in inhibition, shifting, emotional control, working memory and planning/organization, using a validated parental questionnaire (the BRIEF-P). Additionally, we determined child non-verbal IQ at age 6 years. Bullying involvement as a bully, victim or a bully-victim in grades 1-2 of elementary school (mean age 7.7 years) was measured using a peer-nomination procedure. Individual bullying scores were based on the ratings by multiple peers (on average 20 classmates). Analyses were adjusted for various child and maternal socio-demographic and psychosocial covariates. Child score for inhibition problems was associated with the risk of being a bully (OR per SD = 1.35, 95%CI: 1.09-1.66), victim (OR per SD = 1.21, 95%CI: 1.00-1.45) and a bully-victim (OR per SD = 1.55, 95%CI: 1.10-2.17). Children with higher non-verbal IQ were less likely to be victims (OR = 0.99, 95%CI: 0.98-1.00) and bully-victims (OR = 95%CI: 0.93-0.98, respectively). In conclusion, our study showed that peer interactions may be to some extent influenced by children's executive function and non-verbal intelligence. Future studies should examine whether training executive function skills can reduce bullying involvement and improve the quality of peer relationships.

The purpose of the present study was to develop a new assessment procedure of social information processing (SIP) for adolescents, to explore its validity and to examine whether it differentiated between IQ groups. Ninety-four adolescents within secure residential care were administered the SIP instrument, the Youth Self Report and two subtests of the WISC/WAIS. Results showed that the constructs underlying the items of the instrument were associated with profiles from the SIP theory, the subsequent SIP steps were correlated, and several SIP steps were correlated to self-reported behavior. No differences were found between IQ groups. These first results have implications for adjustment of the instrument. Further research should confirm construct validity and psychometric qualities of the scales.Keywords: Social information processing (SIP), Mild to borderline intellectual disability (MBID), Assessment, Validity, Adolescents, Residential care

Elevated levels of corticotropin (ACTH)-reactive immunoglobulins (ACTH IgG) were found in mates with conduct disorder, suggesting their involvement in the biology of antisocial behavior. We first aimed to confirm these findings in a large general population sample of adolescents. Secondly, we studied the association between ACTH IgG levels and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to stress.Free and total ACTH IgG levels were measured in sera of 1230 adolescents (15-18 years). HPA axis activity was determined by measuring salivary cortisol before, during, and after a social stress test. Antisocial behavior was assessed using the Antisocial Behavior Questionnaire. ACTH peptide and IgG affinity kinetics for ACTH were assayed in a subsample of 90 adolescents selected for high or low ACTH IgG levels.In boys, higher total ACTH IgG levels were associated with higher antisocial behavior scores (beta = 1.05, p = 0.04), especially at high levels of free ACTH IgG. In girls, antisocial behavior was associated with low free ACTH IgG levels (beta = -0.20, p = 0.04). Stress-induced cortisol release was associated with free ACTH IgG in boys (beta(area under the curve) = -0.67, p These data show that ACTH IgG levels are related to antisocial behavior and HPA axis response to stress in adolescents. The mechanisms behind these associations, including different ACTH binding properties of IgG in subjects with antisocial behavior, deserve further attention. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The present studies investigated why video racing games increase players’ risk-taking inclinations. Four studies reveal that playing video racing games increases risk taking in a subsequent simulated road traffic situation, as well as risk-promoting cognitions and emotions, blood pressure, sensation seeking, and attitudes toward reckless driving. Study 1 ruled out the role of experimental demand in creating such effects. Studies 2 and 3 showed that the effect of playing video racing games on risk taking was partially mediated by changes in self-perceptions as a reckless driver. These effects were evident only when the individual played racing games that reward traffic violations rather than racing games that do not reward traffic violations (Study 3) and when the individual was an active player of such games rather than a passive observer (Study 4). In sum, the results underline the potential negative impact of racing games on traffic safety.

Relations among externalizing behavior, therapeutic context (community care vs. residential care), and social problem-solving by children with mild intellectual disabilities or borderline intelligence were examined. Participants were 186 children (12 to 14 years of age) who responded to a video-based social problem-solving task. Of these, 130 received residential care and the majority suffered from severe externalizing behavior problems. The results indicated that externalizing behavior was related to encoding, generation of aggressive responses, and negative evaluation of assertive responses. Therapeutic context was related to encoding, positive evaluation of assertive responses, and negative evaluation of aggressive responses. Results indicate a discrepancy between appropriate problem-solving skills and behavior in daily life. Implications for interventions are discussed.

In the current study, the role of pre-ejection period (PEP) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was studied in the association between prior adversities and antisocial behavior in adolescence. PEP and RSA task reactivity and recovery to a public speaking task were assessed in adolescents from a longitudinal population-based study (N = 624, Mage = 16.14 years, 49.2% boys). Perinatal adversities were unrelated to antisocial behavior, but experiencing more stressful adversities between age 0 and 15 was associated with antisocial behavior at age 16 in boys with blunted PEP reactivity and smaller PEP differences from rest to recovery. Number of adversities between age 0 and 15 was associated with antisocial behavior in boys with blunted and girls with heightened RSA reactivity and larger PEP differences from rest to recovery. The association between prior adversities and antisocial behavior were small in effect size and depended upon sex and PEP and RSA reactivity and recovery.Keywords: Pre-ejection period, Respiratory sinus arrhythmia, Antisocial behavior, Reactivity, Recovery, adversity

In the classic black sheep effect (BSE) an ingroup deviant member is usually evaluated more negatively than the corresponding outgroup deviant. This effect is usually obtained by using scenarios and asking people to imagine the situation as vividly as possible. The present study proposes a new method to investigate the BSE by considering the behavioral and physiological reactions to unfair behavior (aggressive game behavior) in a realistic experimental group-setting. The study involved 52 university students in a minimal group setting who performed a modified version of the competitive reaction time (CRT) task adapted to be played in groups of four people. The classic BSE was replicated for evaluation but not for the behavioral reactions (retaliate to aggression) to deviants. More interestingly, a negative relationship emerged in the ingroup deviant condition between the level of behavioral derogation and the systolic blood pressure level.

Background High television exposure time at young age has been described as a potential risk factor for developing behavioral problems. However, less is known about the effects of preschool television on subsequent bullying involvement. We examined the association between television viewing time through ages 2-5 and bullying involvement in the first grades of elementary school. We hypothesized that high television exposure increases the risk of bullying involvement. Method TV viewing time was assessed repeatedly in early childhood using parental report. To combine these repeated assessments we used latent class analysis. Four exposure classes were identified and labeled “low”, “mid-low”, “mid-high” and “high”. Bullying involvement was assessed by teacher questionnaire (n = 3423, mean age 6.8 years). Additionally, peer/self-report of bullying involvement was obtained using a peer nomination procedure (n = 1176, mean age 7.6 years). We examined child risk of being a bully, victim or a bully-victim (compared to being uninvolved in bullying). Results High television exposure class was associated with elevated risks of bullying and victimization. Also, in both teacher- and child-reported data, children in the high television exposure class were more likely to be a bully-victim (OR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.42-3.13 and OR = 3.68, 95% CI: 1.75-7.74 respectively). However, all univariate effect estimates attenuated and were no longer statistically significant once adjusted for maternal and child covariates. Conclusions The association between television viewing time through ages 2-5 and bullying involvement in early elementary school is confounded by maternal and child socio-demographic characteristics.

Low HPA-axis activity has been proposed as a risk factor for disruptive behaviors. However longitudinal data on this topic are practically lacking. In the present study we investigated if low HPA-axis activity predicted future disruptive behaviors. We included 1,399 boys and girls from the Dutch general population, initially aged 10-12 years. At the first assessment, basal cortisol levels were assessed. At the first assessment and at follow-up 2 years later disruptive behaviors were assessed with parent and self-report questionnaires. The results suggest that the association between low cortisol levels at 8.00 p.m. and future disruptive behaviors according to the parents was only present for boys. More importantly however, the results suggest that low HPA-axis activity is not a good predictor for disruptive behaviors, but could be valuable to identify those with a poor prognosis, once disruptive behaviors are present in preadolescence.

The processes that underlie the formation of the dominance hierarchy in a group are since long under debate. Models of self-organisation suggest that dominance hierarchies develop by the self-reinforcing effects of winning and losing fights (the so-called winner-loser effect), but according to 'the prior attribute hypothesis', dominance hierarchies develop from pre-existing individual differences, such as in body mass. In the present paper, we investigate the relevance of each of these two theories for the degree of female dominance over males. We investigate this in a correlative study in which we compare female dominance between groups of 22 species throughout the primate order. In our study female dominance may range from 0 (no female dominance) to 1 (complete female dominance). As regards ` the prior attribute hypothesis', we expected a negative correlation between female dominance over males and species-specific sexual dimorphism in body mass. However, to our surprise we found none (we use the method of independent contrasts). Instead, we confirm the self-organisation hypothesis: our model based on the winner-loser effect predicts that female dominance over males increases with the percentage of males in the group. We confirm this pattern at several levels in empirical data (among groups of a single species and between species of the same genus and of different ones). Since the winner-loser effect has been shown to work in many taxa including humans, these results may have broad implications.

Contains fulltext : 56129.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) This study tested a person–group dissimilarity model for the relation between peer preference on the one hand, and bullying and victimization on the other. This model accounts for both individual and group (i.e., classroom) factors and postulates that children will be rejected by their peers when they display behaviors that deviate from the group norm. We tested the model in a sample of 2,578 early adolescents in 109 middle school classrooms. Multilevel analysis was used to account for our nested data when examining individual and group effects simultaneously in cross-level interaction terms. The results supported our hypotheses based on the dissimilarity model. Classroom norms of behavior appeared to affect the relation between involvement in bullying and peer preference, in that early adolescents who bullied were more likely to be rejected by their peers in a classroom where bullying was non-normative. In classrooms where bullying was normative, adolescents who bullied were less likely to be rejected or were even liked by their peers (i.e., positive scores on peer preference). The same was true for victimization, although victims still had low scores on peer preference even when victimization was normative. Theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed in terms of directions for future research and intervention in bullying. 12 p.

Recent reviews on the validity of rodent aggression models for human violence have addressed the dimension of pathological, maladaptive, violent forms of aggression in male rodent aggressive behaviour. Among the neurobiological mechanisms proposed for the regulation of aggressive behaviour in its normal and pathological forms, serotonin plays a major role. However, the results on the detailed mechanism are still confusing and controversial, mainly because of difficulties in extrapolating from rodent to human psychopathological behaviour. Our aim was to investigate the involvement of serotonin in pathological aggression. We subjected mice genetically selected for high (SAL, TA, NC900 lines) and low (LAL, TNA, NC100) aggression levels to a repeated resident-intruder experience (RRI mice) or to handling as a control procedure (CTR mice). Pathological aggression parameters we recorded were aggression towards females and lack of communication between the resident and its opponent. In the same mice, we measured the monoamine levels in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region strongly involved in the regulation of motivated behaviour. Our results show that SAL mice augmented their proneness to attack and showed the most pathological phenotype, with disregard of the opponent's sex, high territorial behavioural patterns, and low sensitivity to signals of subordination. In contrast, TA and NC900 augmented their proneness to attack and low discrimination of the opponent's signals, without showing offence towards females. After repeated resident-intruder experience, serotonin levels in the prefrontal cortex were significantly lower in SAL than in LAL whereas dopamine turnover was significantly higher, compared to CTR mice. Serotonin turnover was significantly reduced in all RRI mice, with no strain differences. Noradrenaline was significantly lower in aggressive mice of the TA and NC900 lines compared to their low-aggressive counterparts, with no effect of the repeated resident-intruder experience. We conclude that social experience changes prefrontal cortex neurochemistry and elicits pathologically aggressive phenotypes. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Background Corticotrophin-releasing hormone receptor-1 gene (CRHR1) variants have been implicated in mental health. However, little is known of the effects of CRHR1 on long-term mental health and behavior in presence of environmental stressors. We assess the effects of CRHR1 variant (rs17689918)-by-environment interactions on emotionality and behavioral traits, including anxiety, depression, aggression and antisocial behaviors. We also determine effects of rs17689918-by-environment-by-sex interactions on the above-mentioned outcomes. Methods Genotypic assessments were carried out in 564 children (mean age 10 years, 52.5% females) from the ongoing longitudinal Estonian Children Personality Behaviour and Health Study (ECPBHS). Information on stressful life events and family relationships were available at baseline and information on behavioral and mental health outcomes (self- and parent-reports) were available at follow-up ages of 18 and 25 years. ANOVAs were used to determine associations of two-way CRHR1-by-environment and three-way CRHR1-by-sex-by-environment interactions on behavioral and mental health outcomes. Results Two-way CRHR1 interaction effects showed associations between low familial warmth and hostility in individuals with the GG genotype. Associations of low familial warmth with aggression, of higher number of stressful life events with aggression, and of stressful live events with anxious-depressive symptoms were noted in male A-allele carriers and female GG homozygotes. Conclusion CRHR1-by-familial environment interactions influence both outwardly-directed aggression as well as mood and anxiety disorder symptoms in a sex-specific manner. The type of environmental stressor can also influence effects of CRHR1 on behavioral and mental health outcomes.

Background Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterised by difficulties with impulse control and affective dysregulation. It is unclear whether BPD contributes to the perpetration of violence or whether this is explained by comorbidity. We explored independent associations between categorical and dimensional representations of BPD and violence in the general population, and differential associations from individual BPD criteria. Methods We used a representative combined sample of 14,753 men and women from two British national surveys of adults (≥16 years). BPD was assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview II- Questionnaire. We measured self-reported violent behaviour in the past 5 years, including severity, victims and locations of incidents. Associations for binary, dimensional and trait-level exposures were performed using weighted logistic regression, adjusted for demography and comorbid psychopathology. Results Categorical diagnosis of BPD was associated only with intimate partner violence (IPV). Associations with serious violence leading to injuries and repetitive violence were better explained by comorbid substance misuse, anxiety and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). However, anger and impulsivity BPD items were independently associated with most violent outcomes including severity, repetition and injury; suicidal behaviours and affective instability were not associated with violence. Both trait-level and severity-dimensional analyses showed that BPD symptoms might impact males and females differently in terms of violence. Conclusions For individuals diagnosed BPD, violence is better explained by comorbidity. However, BPD individual traits show different pathways to violence at the population level. Gender differences in BPD traits and their severity indicate distinct, underlying mechanisms towards violence. BPD and traits should be evaluated in perpetrators of IPV.