ABSTRACT
Inconsistencies in the use of the terms anger, aggression, irritability, and hostility have made it difficult to interpret the research literature, so it is important to define and consistently use these terms. Specific types of emotions tend to be aroused by specific categories of events that are personally meaningful to the individual. The psychopathological model posits that there must be a serious problem such as a psychiatric disorder that would cause a parent to abuse a child. Because child physical abuse (CPA) involves an aggressive act by the caregiver or parent to the child, the people used the research literature on CPA to illustrate the anger–aggression relationship. Investigators have frequently commented on the need to identify subgroups among aggressive persons as that may help guide treatment choices. Establishing a role for medications targeting aggression in abusive parents would pave the way to examining the effectiveness of integrated psychotherapy and pharmacology treatments.
