Personality Dysfunction Linked to Future Aggression in Daily Life: Findings From Two Experience Sampling Studies

Violence risk assessment has often included personality constructs to better understand pathways toward violence, though most of this work has been done through cross-sectional designs and under the assumption that personality is a static, universally applicable risk factor. The present research uses the alternative model for personality disorders to examine how it is related to aggressive behaviors in daily life and on a day-to-day basis. In two combined 14-daily diary studies (n = 526), baseline personality dysfunction was related to acts of aggression in daily life. Daily and aggregated alternative model for personality disorders psychopathology correlated positively with aggressive behaviors. We discuss the clinical implications of using experience sampling methodologies to examine temporally dynamic modifiable risk factors for violence. Public Significance Statement This study examined how personality dysfunction was related to aggression in daily life, identifying between-person associations (who is likely to be aggressive) and within-person associations (when is aggression more likely). Findings suggest that the likelihood of aggression is higher for individuals with higher personality dysfunction compared to others and on days when personality dysfunction is worse relative to one's own average. This study underscores the usefulness of measuring aggression risk through an experience sampling methodology capable of capturing temporally dynamic triggers for aggression in daily life.