CDP-2011-38-2-05-Wells, The Association of Drinking Pattern With Aggression Involving Alcohol and With Verbal Versus Physical Aggression

In a general population survey of 1,019 Ontario adults, the present
study examined the relationships of (a) drinking pattern (i.e., drinking
frequency, heavy episodic drinking (HED), and hazardous drinking
with alcohol involvement in aggression (i.e., no aggression,
aggression without alcohol, and aggression involving alcohol);
(b) drinking pattern with level of aggression (i.e., no aggression,
verbal, and physical aggression); and (c) alcohol involvement with
level of aggression (i.e., physical versus verbal). All three drinkingpattern
measures were associated with aggression involving alcohol
but not with aggression not involving alcohol. HED and hazardous
drinking were associated with physical aggression (compared with
no aggression). Alcohol involvement in aggression was associated
with physical aggression (vs. verbal). The findings suggest that,
while a pattern of heavy or hazardous drinking is associated with
increased risk of aggression, this increased risk only applies to
alcohol-related aggression and drinking at the time may contribute
to severity of aggression