Approaching to a structural model of impulsivity and driving anger as predictors of risk behaviors in young drivers

• Published in: Transportation research. Part F, Traffic psychology and behaviour Traffic psychology and behaviour, 2020-07, Vol.72, p.71-80
• Main Authors: Mirón-Juárez, Carlos Alberto, García-Hernández, Claudia, Ochoa-Ávila, Eneida, Díaz-Grijalva, Giovana Rocío
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anger control; Automobile drivers; Automobile driving; Driver behavior; Drivers; Driving anger expression; Impulsivity; Multivariate statistical analysis; Psychology; Risk; Road accidents; Structural models; Traffic accidents; Traffic accidents & safety
• ISSN: 1369-8478; 1873-5517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2020.05.006

•Optimal acceptable values for reliability and validity were obtained for every scale.•Correlation observed between driving anger expression, impulsivity and risk behavior.•Explanatory model of risk behavior was based on impulsivity and anger expression.•Impulsivity predicted driving anger expression, and this one predicted risky driving.•Anger control shows a regulatory role for impulsiveness and driving anger expression. Due to the high rates of traffic accidents in young drivers, psychology studies identify road anger as an important factor associated to risk driving behaviors, in order to know which psychological variables can predict road anger, the literature suggest impulsivity as an individual condition related to anger. The objective of this research is to obtain an explanatory model of risk driving as a result of the relationship of impulsivity, road anger expression and the control of impulsivity and anger. A sample of 407 subjects, both sexes drivers were surveyed, obtaining a structural equation model with acceptable adjustment values. The model showed that control of impulsivity and anger predict impulsivity (β = −0.25) and physical expression of anger (β = −0.50), Impulsivity also showed predictive capacity towards the physical expression of anger (β = 0.29), and the physical expression of anger towards risk driving behaviors (β = 0.89). Due to the findings it is suggested the implementation of social programs that promote the development of anger regulatory skills and impulse control, as part of the preventive actions of road accidents.