Head injury and aggressive behavior: Examining sex differences and the role of related risk factors

Abstract

Youth are at high risk for head injuries, yet many injuries go unassessed. Treatment patterns may also vary by sex, influencing outcomes. This exploratory study investigated the potential relationship among sex, a history of head injuries, and recent aggressive behavior in emerging adults, and considered how other risk factors may influence these associations. Analyzing a survey of emerging adults (n = 910), nearly half of women and two-thirds of men reported at least one lifetime head injury; many went untreated. Women more often received medical care; men received more concussion diagnoses. In the full sample, head injuries increased aggressive behavior similarly among women and men. Related risk factors – psychological distress, temper, and past delinquency – accounted for the relationship between head injuries and recent aggressive behavior. Among people with head injuries, sex differences in injury experiences did not result in differences in aggressive behavior. Prevention and intervention efforts should attune to undetected and untreated injuries, and to psychosocial and behavioral risk factors associated with head injuries.