SUBJECTS WITH A HISTORY OF DRUG-DEPENDENCE ARE MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN SUBJECTS WITH NO DRUG-USE HISTORY

Aggressive responding was compared between 29 subjects with a history of substance dependence and 24 subjects with no drug use history, usin g the (C)Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm. The hypothesis was tha t subjects from the substance dependence history group would emit more aggressive responses than subjects with no drug use history. The subs tance dependence history group emitted more aggressive responses per s ession than the non drug using group (F-(1,F-49) = 14.867, P = 0.032). These results are consistent with previous studies that have reported an association between aggression and drug abuse or dependence. (C) 1 997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.