Objectives:

This study aims to characterize levels of aggressive behaviour and the influence of potential emotional dysregulation patterns and personality maladaptive characteristics of emotional functioning in female prisoners.

Background:

Several studies across decades tried to identify underlying causes of masculine aggressive behaviour, with a small number of studies focusing on women. Distress and the presence of psychopathologies have been highlighted as particularly relevant features of female aggressive behaviours, even though specific emotion regulation patterns have been poorly studied, especially in women sentenced to prison due to aggressive criminal practices.

Materials and Methods:

The Portuguese versions of Montreal Cognitive Assessment, the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Short Impulsivity Scale (UPPSP) and the Aggression Questionnaire were administered to 31 female inmates and to 32 matched-control individuals. Multivariate linear regression, moderation and mediation analyses were performed.

Results and Conclusions:

Results suggest that alexithymia mainly explains hostility feelings (R = 0,282, B=0,553, p=0,001), and impulsivity increases the probability of physical aggression (B= 0,551; p= 0,002). Alexithymia predicts 13,1% of the aggressive behaviour (R = 0,131; B=0,401, p=0,026) and 28,2% of aggressive behaviour driven by hostility feelings. Emotional dysregulation moderates the relation between alexithymia and hostility, increasing the probability of aggressive behaviour in women (Alexithymia: B=0,2364; t=2,1763, p= 0,0385; Moderator: B=0,0068, t=2,0841, p=0,0467).

This study suggests the importance of supporting female groups of prisoners in gradually developing more adaptive ways to regulate emotions, in order to prevent and reduce the risk of aggressive behaviour and upgrade their future psychosocial reintegration.

ALEXITHYMIA AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR: THE INFLUENCE OF IMPULSIVITY AND EMOTIONAL DYSREGULATION IN FEMALE PRISONERS