Hug drug or thug drug? Ecstasy use and aggressive behavior.
Lesley Williams Reid, Kirk W Elifson, Claire E Sterk
Violence and victims 2007 DOI: 10.1891/vv-v22i1a007 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 260 |
| Population | Ecstasy users in Atlanta, Georgia |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | Higher prevalence of lifetime ecstasy use is associated with higher levels of aggressive and violent behavior, and this effect is greater among those with low self-control. |
Abstract
While clinical studies have established a link between aggression and ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymeth-amphetamine [MDMA]), no research has attempted to explore how this link manifests itself in behavioral outcomes. In this research we examine the effects of ecstasy on aggressive and violent behavior in a sample of active users. Data were collected from 260 ecstasy users in Atlanta, Georgia. Data analysis included ordered logit regression to examine the likelihood of engaging in aggressive behavior, controlling for key predictors of aggression independent of ecstasy use. Our results indicate that those with a higher prevalence of lifetime ecstasy use exhibit higher levels of aggressive and violent behavior. However, the effect of lifetime ecstasy use differs by levels of low self-control as a measure of propensity for aggression. Those who exhibit low self-control are more affected by ecstasy use than those who do not in terms of aggression. Our findings add an important dimension to our current knowledge about the relationship between aggression and ecstasy.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recreational MDMA use in Sydney: a profile of ‘Ecstasy’ users and their experiences with the drug Recreational Ecstasy users recruited via snowball peer network | 1992 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 100 |
| Reducedin vivobinding to the serotonin transporter in the cerebral cortex of MDMA (‘ecstasy’) users Male regular ecstasy users and well-matched controls | 1999 | Cross-sectional association study | n = 20 |
| Patterns of simultaneous polysubstance use in drug using university students Drug-using university students | 2006 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 149 |
| Patterns of recreational drug use at dance events in Edinburgh, Scotland Drug users at dance events in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, aged 16-47, 80% between 18 and... | 2001 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 122 |
| Acute, sub‐acute and long‐term subjective consequences of ‘ecstasy’ (MDMA) consumption in 430 regular users Regular MDMA users | 2003 | Cross-sectional study | n = 466 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- The Potential Dangers of Using MDMA for Psychotherapy Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 2014
- Mood Fluctuation and Psychobiological Instability: The Same Core Functions Are Disrupted by Novel Psychoactive Substances and Established Recreational Drugs Brain Sciences March 13, 2018
- Aggressive behaviours associated with MDMA and psychedelics: a narrative review Acta Neuropsychiatrica February 8, 2024
- Of mice and men on MDMA: a translational comparison of the neuropsychobiological effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ('Ecstasy'). Brain Research November 14, 2019
- Mephedrone and 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine: Comparative psychobiological effects as reported by recreational polydrug users. Journal of Psychopharmacology December 2016
and 3 more in the library
Cites 10
- Positron emission tomographic evidence of toxic effect of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) on brain serotonin neurons in human beings The Lancet October 1, 1998
- MDMA (Ecstasy) and the Rave: A Review Pediatrics October 1, 1997
- Striatal serotonin is depleted in brain of a human MDMA (Ecstasy) user Neurology July 25, 2000
- Sub-acute effects of MDMA (±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, "ecstasy") on mood: evidence of gender differences Psychopharmacology April 1, 2002
- Is the Use of Ecstasy and Hallucinogens Increasing? European Addiction Research 1998
and 5 more in the library