LONGITUDINAL PATTERNS OF PHYSICAL AGGRESSION - ASSOCIATIONS WITH ADULT SOCIAL, PSYCHIATRIC, AND PERSONALITY FUNCTIONING AND TESTOSTERONE LEVELS

A retrospective longitudinal research design was used to evaluate male adult outcomes associated with four patterns of physical aggression f rom childhood to adulthood - child-only aggression, child and adult co ntinuity of aggression, adult-onset aggression, and a contrast group w ith low levels of aggression in childhood and adulthood. The continuit y and adult-onset aggression groups had the highest levels of social m aladjustment (e.g., marital instability), psychiatric disturbance (e.g ., alcohol disorders, major depression), personality dysfunction (e.g. , higher prevalence of elevated borderline and narcissistic personalit y disorder scores), and higher plasma testosterone levels. The child-o nly aggression group manifested more psychiatric and personality distu rbance than the contrast group, but not nearly as much disturbance as the continuity and adult-onset groups. After controlling for age and s ocioeconomic status (SES) variables, race (White/Black) was typically not a significant predictor of outcome variables. Findings are discuss ed with regard to life course implications of the physical aggression patterns, and of the support provided for an adult-onset aggressive ty pe.