Effect of the interaction between oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism (rs53576) and stressful life events on aggression in Chinese Han adolescents

Aggression is defined as overt or covert often harmful behavior or social interaction with the intention of inflicting damage or distress on others (de Almeida et al., 2015; Marcus, 2017). Human aggression is multi-dimensional and may be expressed physically, verbally, emotionally (e.g., anger), or cognitively (e.g., impulsivity, hostility) (Buss and Durkee, 1957; Buss and Perry, 1992). Adolescence is the transitional period between late childhood and the beginning of adulthood and is a time of dramatic physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes such as rapid physical growth of the body, sexual maturation, increased self-consciousness, sensation seeking and risk taking, which contributes to a critical period of vulnerability for maladaptive behavioral and emotional development (Lerner and Steinberg, 2004; Sawyer et al., 2012; Steinberg, 2005).
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Source Type: research