Investigation of Psychophysiological Correlation of Aggression and Response to Aversive Stimuli

This study investigates the psychophysiological correlations of aggression and response to aversive stimuli in a population of 133 children clinically diagnosed with conduct disorder (CD) and/or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Data was gathered about participants' level of aggression through the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ). The stimuli that were presented to the participants included 1) a loud sound, 2) threatening photographs from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS), and 3) the Trier Social Stress Task (TSST). Participants' psychophysiological features of heart rate and galvanic skin conductance were measured and analyzed in relation to their RPQ scores and clinical diagnosis.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: ADHD; Conduct Disorder; Oppositional Defiant Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: No intervention was administered for the purpose of this study.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 133

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 7 years to 16 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study involves children and adolescents diagnosed with disruptive behaviour disorder (DBD, i.e. conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder) or attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, i.e. combined type or ADHD predominantly inattentive type or ADHD predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type).

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Subjects between ages 7 and 16 years
2. Subjects who fulfil all criteria for a DSM-IV diagnosis of ADHD, conduct disorder, or oppositional defiant disorder
3. Subjects with willingness to participate in a randomized, double-blind controlled trial
4. Subjects with complete written, informed parental consent and child assent
5. Subjects with IQ of 70 or more

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Subjects who have IQ in the below 70
2. Subjects who are younger than 7 years old or older than 16 years old
3. Those without written parental consent
4. Those with brain pathology such as serious head injury, epilepsy, etc.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Case-Only
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Heart Rate	For Trier Social Stress Task	7 minutes
Skin Conductance Response	For loud sound	4 minutes
Skin Conductance Response	For threatening photograph	4 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Yale-NUS College

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 1, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): August 1, 2015

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 29, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 29, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): October 31, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 31, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 29, 2018
• Last Verified: October 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Mental Disorders; Pathologic Processes; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Aggression; Disease; Conduct Disorder; Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: YNC-SASSI-Quanti-1

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No