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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., La agresividad es frecuente en la vejez, y para adaptar los tratamientos y reducir los daños que la acompañan, tanto para sí mismo/a como para los demás, es importante entender los predictores de la agresividad. La pobre conciencia emocional, la impulsividad y la desregulación emocional son posibles mecanismos que influyen en la agresividad. El presente estudio examina si la alexitimia, la desregulación emocional y la impulsividad influyen en la agresividad de los adultos mayores; y si el efecto de la alexitimia está condicionado por la desregulación emocional y la impulsividad después de controlar los probables factores de confusión. La muestra consistió en 326 adultos mayores portugueses (63.2% mujeres) con edades comprendidas entre los 60 y 96 años procedentes de residencias geriátricas y de la comunidad. Los participantes completaron instrumentos de informe que medían la alexitimia, la desregulación emocional, la impulsividad y la agresividad. Los resultados del análisis de mediación mostraron que los adultos mayores que tenían más alexitimia tendían a reportar niveles más altos de desregulación emocional e impulsividad, lo que por a su vez explicaba un mayor reporte de agresividad. Todos estos efectos fueron independientes del funcionamiento cognitivo y de los síntomas depresivos. Este estudio sugiere la relevancia de evaluar e intervenir sobre la alexitimia, la impulsividad y la desregulación emocional para reducir la agresividad en personas mayores.

Objective: The current study assessed depressive symptoms in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients and explored whether these symptoms were associated with glycemic control. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used. Patients attending diabetes consultations participated in the study (N = 347). Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and glycemic control was based on A1C criteria. Results: The mean score on the BDI, for either T1DM or T2DM, was not clinically significant and was not associated with diagnosis duration. The association between depression and glycemic control was significant in both DM types. T2DM participants presenting more depressive symptoms were those with greater glycemic control. T1DM and T2DM differences regarding depressive symptoms were in somatic symptoms. Conclusions: In T2DM depressive symptoms may be confounded with DM physical consequences. There is also the possibility that negative mood plays a mediating role in mobilizing survival strategies that promote glycemic control. Furthermore, the assessment of depressive symptomatology in patients with diabetes could benefit from the availability of a disease-specific measure., Objetivo: O presente estudo procurou avaliar a presença de sintomas depressivos em pacientes com diabetes mellitus tipo 1 (T1DM) e tipo 2 (T2DM), explorando a sua associação com o controlo glicémico. Métodos: Estudo de desenho transversal. Participaram no estudo 347 pacientes com um diagnóstico de diabetes mellitus tipo 1 e tipo 2, os quais preencheram um questionário sociodemográfico e clínico e o Inventário Depressivo de Beck (BDI). Os valores do controlo glicémico foram facultados pelo clínico assistente, sendo baseados no critério de hemoglobina glicada (A1C). Resultados: O score médio do BDI total para os pacientes com T1DM ou T2DM não se revelou clinicamente significativo e não se encontrouassociado à duração da doença. A associação entre sintomas depressivos e controlo glicémico foi significativa em ambos os tipos de diabetes. Os pacientes com T2DM que apresentaram mais sintomas depressivos foram os que evidenciavam maior controlo glicémico. As diferenças observadas nos sintomas depressivos dos pacientes com T1DM e T2DM manifestaram-se nos sintomas somáticos avaliados pelo BDI. Conclusões: Os sintomas depressivos nos pacientes com T2DM podem ser confundidos com as consequências físicas da própria diabetes. De referir igualmente a possibilidade de o humor negativo desempenhar um papel mediador na mobilização das estratégias promotoras de um adequado controlo glicémico.