A critical comparison of aggressive intrusive thoughts in obsessive compulsive disorder and aggressive scripts in offender populations

Thoughts about harming another person are a common phenomenon and can be understood through two different constructs: aggressive intrusive thoughts and aggressive scripts. Aggressive intrusive thoughts are commonly investigated in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and aggressive scripts are reported by offender populations. The current review explores whether aggressive intrusive thoughts and aggressive scripts share similarities with regards to well established features from intrusive thought research, including frequency, intrusiveness, influence of maladaptive appraisals, associated emotional experiences, and thought control strategies. A targeted systematic review was deemed inappropriate due to the nature of the review and the lack of specific literature in the area. To inform this critical review, a literature search was conducted using relevant key words, and references from established research in the area were examined. Findings from this study identify that some features including frequency, distress, and thought control strategies are relevant to aggressive scripts. Understanding the relationship these features have with aggressive scripts may prove beneficial for not only differentiating this construct from intrusive thoughts but for also informing risk assessment and intervention for those who experience them.