Addressing “The criterion problem” in the assessment of aggressive behavior: Development of a new taxonomic system

Aggressive behavior is a highly complex construct that is very challenging to measure. While advancements in the assessment of aggression have been made, some fundamental problems persist. First, the operational definition of aggressive behavior and its various subtypes are frequently misinterpreted and lack sufficient conceptual clarity. Second, due to these definitional problems, assessment instruments frequently correspond to different conceptualizations of aggression. In the present review, we attempt to resolve these limitations by proposing a new taxonomic system of aggressive acts that (a) corresponds to a hybrid definition of aggressive behavior, and (b) increases conceptual clarity between subtypes of aggressive behavior. It is argued that this classification system will permit greater precision in the assessment of aggression and lead to the improvement of theories, diagnostic systems, and clinical interventions.