Role of social cognition in the journey from childhood adversity to aggression and serious harmful behaviour: a systematic review and empirical study
View/ Open
Date
10/10/2022Author
Woodward, Bethan
Metadata
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The detrimental impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is
increasingly recognised. Research links such experiences to poor outcomes such as
aggression, violence and other serious harmful behaviour; however, the processes
by which adversity has this effect are still not fully understood. Various evidence
points to the potential role of social cognition in the journey from ACEs to aggression
and serious harmful behaviour.
METHOD: A systematic review was conducted to identify and evaluate studies that
had explored the link between ACEs and social cognition in the forensic population.
A final sample of 11 studies were identified and reviewed using a quality assessment
tool. An empirical study was conducted to explore the role of social cognition in the
relationship between childhood adversity and aggression or violence. A total of 144
adults from the general population completed measures of ACEs, emotion
recognition, empathy, attachment, aggression and violence.
RESULTS: The studies identified in the systematic review varied in the constructs
explored and measures used. Overall, findings were mixed but with some evidence
to suggest childhood adversity was related to changes in social cognition in forensic
samples. Results from the empirical study suggested a positive association between
childhood adversity and both aggression and violence. While childhood adversity,
aggression and violence were associated with some specific changes in
sociocognitive processes, none of these processes were found to mediate the
relationship between childhood adversity and aggression or violence.
CONCLUSION: Some evidence is provided for a link between childhood adversity and
deficits in social cognition, although further research is needed to clarify this link in
the forensic population. While findings suggest that childhood adversity is also linked
to aggression and violence, the findings suggest that deficits in social cognition do
not contribute to this relationship.