Our analyses probed the question of whether alcohol-related, drug-related, and non-substance-related aggression reflect three manifestations of a single construct, or are t] three entirely distinct constructs. Our findings suggest that the answer appears to be that they might be distinct. Additionally, our data suggest a more complex reality — that most of the variance across these three phenotypes can be explained by a general factor that is characterized by alcohol-related aggression. This large general factor reinforces the central role of alcohol in causing human violence, though more research is needed into the psychological and biological features it shares with other forms of aggression and those that make unique. Uncovering these processes will aid attempts to effectively intervene upon and reduce these different forms of violence.
