Aggression

Human aggression, violence and deviant behaviour are not only a great cost for society − up to $40.2 billion yearly only for England and Wales and 3.3% of the gross domestic product in America (Waters et al., 2004) − but have also great consequences for general health as they are among the world’s foremost causes of death (Krug, Dahlberg, Mercy, Zwi, & Lozano, 2002). Moreover, violence is often stated as a preventable public health problem (Gilligan, 1997). A search for literature on human aggression shows that different terms, such as aggression and violence, are frequently used interchangeably (Perry, 2001), although they actually differ in meaning. Therefore, the current chapter starts by defining the different concepts. Furthermore, the current chapter will further outline several subtypes of aggression and explain the concept of impulsivity in the context of aggression and forensic risk assessment. Thereby, several developmental theories of aggression will be presented. More specifically, theories emphasising biological, psychological and social origins of aggression will be reported. The chapter will finally describe some interventions for aggressive problem behaviour.