Life Course Approach to the Development of Hostility and Anger : Family Origins in Childhood and Unemployment in Adulthood
Year: 2013
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Previous studies have suggested that hostility and anger are associated with serotonergic function, that they are relatively stable personality characteristics, and that their development is affected by early family factors. Hostile and angry individuals have also been suggested to be at risk for social problems. However, there is a limited number of studies that have examined these issues from a life course perspective, which is the aim of the present thesis. The participants for the current study were from the ongoing, nationally representative, longitudinal, population-based Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (YFS), which began in 1980. The present thesis had two aims: 1) to investigate how serotonin receptor 1B, family factors, and early antecedents of hostility and anger are related to the life course development and stability of hostility and anger, and 2) how hostility over the life course is related to unemployment in adulthood. The results indicate that low parental socioeconomic status, a hostile child-rearing style and aggressive behavior in childhood predicted high levels of hostility and anger in adulthood, but the association between aggressive behavior and hostility was moderated by the serotonin receptor 1B. Both hostility and anger seemed to be moderately stable characteristics over the life course. Hostility and unemployment were found to have a bidirectional relationship, but hostility was a stronger predictor of unemployment than vice versa. The current study provides new information on unemployment as an outcome of hostility and emphasizes the role of early antecedents and family factors in the development of hostility and anger over the life course. Based on these findings, the prevention of hostility and anger should be targeted at the early stages of life. This could greatly lower the costs of high levels of hostility and anger to the individual as well as to society.
Source: Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja
Author: Christian Hakulinen
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2106539522