Pornography and the sex offender: Patterns of previous exposure and arousal effects of pornographic stimuli.

Showed 63 male sex and 66 male criminal code offenders a series of 26 slides depicting different sexual behaviors. Ss were also interviewed about their past exposure to pornography. No differences were found between the 2 groups on the measure of rated overall sexual arousal to the slides. Numerous differences were found between the 2 groups in their past exposure to pornography: sex offenders generally experienced less frequent and milder exposure to pornography than did the criminal code offenders. Factor analyses of arousal ratings to the different slides identified several arousal factors and suggested possible differntial relations to type of sex offense. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evaluations of trial competency and mental state at time of offense: Report characteristics.

Despite the dramatic increase in conceptual and empirical attention to forensic mental health assessment that has occurred within the last 10 yrs, there is little published research on the normative characteristics of such evaluations. In the present study, a total of 277 reports describing evaluations of competency to stand trial and/or mental state at the time of the offense, based on evaluations performed in either a Florida forensic hospital (n?=?167) or in various communities in Florida (n?=?110), were rated to determine relevant characteristics of examiners and evaluation procedures. Comparisons between reports are made by site (hospital vs community), discipline (psychiatrists vs psychologists), and legal issues (trial competency vs mental state at the time of the offense vs both issues). Implications for the practice of forensic mental health assessment and further research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparing indicators of sexual sadism as predictors of recidivism among adult male sexual offenders.

Objective: In this longitudinal study, the predictive validity of a psychiatric diagnosis of sexual sadism was compared with three behavioral indicators of sadism: index sexual offense violence, sexual intrusiveness, and phallometrically assessed sexual arousal to depictions of sexual or nonsexual violence. Method: Five hundred and eighty six adult male sexual offenders were assessed between 1982 and 1992, and these offenders were followed for up to 20-years postrelease via official criminal records. Assessment information included the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) diagnosis, offense characteristics, phallometric assessment results, and an actuarial risk measure (the Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide). Results: Predictive validity was demonstrated in univariate analyses for the behavioral indicators of sexual sadism (area under the curve [AUCs] from .58 to .62) but not psychiatric diagnosis (AUC = .54). Cox regression analyses revealed that phallometrically assessed sexual arousal to violence was still significantly associated with violent (including sexual) recidivism after actuarially estimated risk to reoffend was controlled. A psychiatric diagnosis of sexual sadism, in contrast, was unrelated to recidivism. Conclusions: The results support the use of more behaviorally operationalized indicators of sexual sadism, especially phallometric assessment of sexual arousal, and suggest the DSM criteria for sexual sadism require further work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reliability of file-based retrospective ratings of psychopathy with the PCL-R

A rapidly emerging consensus recognizes Hare's Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 1991) as the most valid and useful instrument to assess psychopathy (Fulero, 1995; Stone, 1995). We compared independent clinical PCL-R ratings of 40 forensic adult male criminal offenders to retrospective file-only ratings. File-based PCL-R ratings, in comparison to the clinical ratings, yielded categorical psychopathy diagnoses with a sensitivity of .57 and a specificity of .96. The intraclass correlation (ICC) of the total scores as estimated by ICC(2,1) was .88, and was markedly better on Factor 2, ICC(2,1) = .89, than on Factor 1, ICC(2,1) = .69. The findings support the belief that for research purposes, file-only PCL-R ratings based on Swedish forensic psychiatric investigation records can be made with good alternate-form reliability.     

A Multigroup Item Response Theory Analysis of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised.

Item response theory was used to investigate the functioning of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; R. D. Hare, 1991, 2003) in several offender populations. With male criminal offenders (N=3,847) as a reference group, differential item functioning analyses were performed for 3 comparison groups: female criminal offenders (N=1,219), male forensic psychiatric patients (N=1,246), and male criminal offenders scored from file reviews (N=2,626). Results are discussed in the context of the 2-factor, 4-facet model for the PCL-R (R. D. Hare, 2003; J. Parker, G. Sitarenios, & R. D. Hare, 2003). Application of a multigroup graded response model to all 4 groups suggests scalar equivalence may hold at least approximately for each population, although the PCL-R provided slightly greater information about the latent trait of psychopathy for male criminal offenders scored from the standard procedure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Aggression and the EEG: A quantitative analysis.

80 male offenders (mean age 33.93 yrs) at a psychiatric security hospital completed scales of aggression and hostility and were rated on previous history of assaulative behavior. Two psychiatrists agreed that 45 Ss had personality disorders and 35 were psychotic. Low frequency analysis was employed to obtain measures of EEG abundance at rest, during repetitive auditory stimulation, and during the cold pressor test. Neither within the sample as a whole nor within personality disorders alone was any relation found between resting abundance and aggression. More aggressive Ss tended to have a higher dominant frequency at rest, less increase in theta during monotonous stimulation, and greater alpha reactivity to cold pressor stimulation. Results are not in accord with the view that a high prevalence of theta activity characterizes aggressive offenders. The evidence of greater cortical excitability in aggressive patients suggests that persistent aggression is associated with a dominance of the ergotropic system. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological correlates of overall quality of figure drawings.

The aim of this study was to identify psychological correlates of overall quality (OAQ) of figure drawings. The drawings of 75 female and 62 male psychiatric patients were rated for OAQ on a 9-point scale. Psychological test data, interview and behavioral ratings, and information regarding social background and adjustment were also available for many of the Ss. Results were as follows: (1) OAQ was not related to specific aspects of psychopathology, improvement in clinical condition, nor to a wide variety of personality trait ratings. (2) Low, but statistically significant, relationships were found between OAQ and 3 independently obtained indexes of adjustment in specific situations. (3) OAQ was related positively with vocabulary intelligence and father's occupational level and negatively with age. (36 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Homicidal sex offenders: psychological, phallometric, and diagnostic features

Homicidal sex offenders represent an understudied population in the forensic literature. Forty-eight homicidal sex offenders assessed between 1982 and 1992 were studied in relation to a comparison group of incest offenders. Historical features, commonly used psychological inventories, criminal histories, phallometric assessments, and DSM diagnoses were collected on each group. The homicidal sex offenders, compared with the incest offenders, self-reported that they had more frequently been removed from their homes during childhood and had more violence and forensic psychiatric contact in their histories. On the self-report psychological inventories, the homicidal sex offenders portrayed themselves as functioning significantly better in the areas of sexuality (Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory) and aggression/hostility (Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory). However, on the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), researchers rated the homiciders significantly more psychopathic than the incest offenders on Factor 1 (personality traits) and Factor 2 (antisocial history). Police records revealed the homicidal subjects also had been charged or convicted of more violent and nonviolent nonsexual offenses. The phallometric assessments indicated that the homicidal sex offenders demonstrated higher levels of response to pedophilic stimuli and were significantly more aroused to stimuli depicting assaultive acts to children, relative to the incest offenders. Despite the homiciders' self-reports of fairly good psychological functioning, DSM-III diagnoses reliably discriminated between the groups. A large number of homicidal sex offenders were diagnosed as suffering from psychosis, antisocial personality disorder, paraphilias, sexual sadism, sexual sadism with pedophilia, and substance abuse. Seventy-five percent of the homicidal sex offenders had three or more diagnoses compared with six percent of the incest offenders. The article addresses the role of "hard" versus "soft" measures in the assessment and treatment of violent sex offenders. In addition, the usefulness of phallometric assessments and the PCL-R and its subscales are considered.     

Assessment of Anger and Aggression in Male Offenders With Developmental Disabilities.

Systematic assessment of anger among people with developmental disabilities has been lacking, especially for hospital inpatients. Reliability and validity of anger self-report psychometric scales were investigated with 129 male patients, mostly forensic. Anger prevalence and its relationship to demographic, cognitive, and personality variables and to hospital assaultive behavior were examined. High internal and intermeasure consistency, and some concurrent validity with staff ratings, were found. Retrospective validity regarding physically assaultive behavior in the hospital was obtained. Hierarchical regressions revealed that patient-reported anger was a significant predictor of assaults postadmission, controlling for age, length of stay, IQ, violence offense history, and personality variables. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Identifying violent offenders using a video measure of interpersonal distance.

73 imprisoned male offenders volunteered to complete a videotaped measure of preferred interpersonal distance (IPD). Prison records were then searched for information leading to the classification of each S as either violent or nonviolent and for data on 17 background variables. A discriminant function analysis (DFA) identified 7 of the variables beginning with current offense and including IPD, as discriminators between violent and nonviolent offenders. Inspection of discriminant scores revealed an optimal criterion score with which 92% of the Ss were correctly identified as either violent or nonviolent. A 2nd DFA, which omitted the variable current offense, showed that IPD was the next best discriminator between violent and nonviolent offenders, and a positive relationship between preferred IPD and violence was clearly demonstrated. Results also support studies that have shown no difference in the shapes of the body-buffer zones of violent and nonviolent offenders, but anticipated differences between the IPD scores of Polynesian and European ethnic groups were not found. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The treatment of mentally disordered offenders.

However narrowly defined, mentally disordered offenders (MDOs) are heterogeneous in demographics, diagnoses, offense characteristics, risk, and clinical needs. Treatment planning for MDOs should begin with an assessment of risk of future violent behavior in the community and risk of violence toward self or others inside an institution. Purposes of treatment among MDOs include treatments both to reduce risk of future violence and to alleviate the mental disorder. Relevant outcome measures include criminal and violent behavior, psychiatric symptomatology, admission to correctional or psychiatric facility, and quality of life. Clinical problems include aggression and problems of institutional management, criminal propensity, life skills deficits, substance abuse, active psychotic symptoms, social withdrawal, and depression. Because evidence relating them to risk of future violence is highest for the first 4 problems, it is argued that inpatient treatments should especially target them. Whenever risk levels and legal circumstances permit, community treatment is to be preferred. Sex offenders are discussed as a group for whom specialized services are indicated.… (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Addressing bias in the forensic assessment of sexual harassment claims

This article addresses unique biases that arise in the assessment of sexual harassment claims by forensic psychiatrists. These include gender biases, diagnostic biases, sociopolitical biases, and bias that arises from lack of knowledge regarding sexual harassment or lack of formal psychiatric training. Forensic psychiatrists are ethically obligated to strive for objectivity and honesty in their assessments. By becoming aware of these biases and attempting to minimize them, we can meet our ethical obligations as forensic psychiatrists. In addition, we can provide more credible and valuable assessments to the courts in this increasingly litigated and partisan issue.     

Child pornography offenses are a valid diagnostic indicator of pedophilia.

This study investigated whether being charged with a child pornography offense is a valid diagnostic indicator of pedophilia, as represented by an index of phallometrically assessed sexual arousal to children. The sample of 685 male patients was referred between 1995 and 2004 for a sexological assessment of their sexual interests and behavior. As a group, child pornography offenders showed greater sexual arousal to children than to adults and differed from groups of sex offenders against children, sex offenders against adults, and general sexology patients. The results suggest child pornography offending is a stronger diagnostic indicator of pedophilia than is sexually offending against child victims. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Maternal and adolescent ratings of psychopathology in young offender and non-clinical males.

Compared maternal and youth ratings of the youths' adjustment using the Child Behavior Checklist and Youth Self-Report with 50 young offenders and 51 non-clinical males (aged 12–16 yrs). While delinquent youths were in the clinical range only on the delinquent behavior subscale, maternal ratings were in the clinical range on most subscales. By contrast, maternal and youth reports in controls showed comparable ratings on Internalizing scales, with normal adolescents endorsing significantly more Externalizing behavior problems than their mothers. Maternal and youth ratings in the controls were in the normal range on all scales. Possible causes of these differences between young offenders' and their mothers' reporting of symptoms are discussed, and implications of these findings for forensic assessment of adolescents are presented. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Continuing medical education in marital and family therapy: a survey of South Australian psychiatrists

OBJECTIVE: South Australian psychiatrists were surveyed to determine their impressions of the usefulness of marital and family therapy (MFT) in the management of serious psychiatric conditions and to ascertain their previous experience with Continuing Medical Education (CME) about family therapy. It was expected that psychiatrists' preferences regarding CME would be related to their clinical experience of the usefulness of MFT. METHOD: One hundred and twenty psychiatrists returned a questionnaire about their training, clinical and research interests, with ratings of the usefulness of MFT and CME preferences. This represented 65% of those eligible for the CME programme. RESULTS: Thirteen percent of the respondents found MFT to be extremely useful and a further 47% found it moderately useful in their current practice. There was evidence of a possible training effect: respondents who had previous CME rated MFT as more useful, especially for mood disorders. Furthermore, the treatment of mood disorders seemed to have a particular relevance in family psychiatry, making a statistically unique contribution to ratings of MFT usefulness in the respondents' total practice. Sixty-nine percent of the respondents requested further CME in family therapy. This represented 45% of all South Australian psychiatrists. Respondents who rated MFT as more useful in practice were significantly more likely to be interested in CME. CONCLUSIONS: There seems to be sufficient interest and clinical experience among psychiatrists for MFT to be included in CME courses. It is recommended that further training focus on major mental disorders, especially mood disorders and schizophrenia.     

Psychological test use in criminal forensic evaluations.

The authors surveyed forensic psychologists and psychiatrists (about 80% of whom were board certified) regarding their use of psychological testing in evaluations for competence to stand trial (CST; n?=?102) and criminal responsibility (CR; n?=?96), as well as their opinions about the importance of psychological testing for these evaluations. Psychological testing was perceived as either essential or recommended by approximately two thirds of the respondents for CR evaluations and by approximately one half for the CST evaluations, with no significant differences between psychologists and psychiatrists. Frequency of reported use of psychological tests was consistent with these opinions among forensic psychologists but was significantly lower for forensic psychiatrists. Data are also provided on the frequency with which respondents report using specific tests and categories of tests, including specialized forensic assessment instruments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sources of stress in policewomen: A three-factor model.

It has been argued that models of stress need to be occupation specific. Policewomen are an occupational subgroup who experience stress differently from male officers. Sixteen sources of felt stress were rated by 206 policewomen. Exploratory factor analysis suggested a three-factor model of operational, interpersonal, and management/organizational stress. Confirmatory factor analysis with a second sample of 213 policewomen confirmed the three-factor structure. Interpersonal stressors accounted for most variance in ratings of felt stress. This suggests that the interpersonal climate experienced by female officers contributes significantly to rated stress levels, and consideration of this finding should be given in interventions to reduce work stress for female officers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On the validity of social skills assessments: An analysis of role-play and ward staff ratings of social behavior in a maximum security setting.

Assessed the social skill of 64 male patients in a maximum security psychiatric hospital. Assertion and conversational role-plays were videotaped and rated on a variety of social skill dimensions. Ward staff rated the S's social behavior on a socialization scale and on the Social Contact and Communication subscales of the MACC Behavioral Adjustment Scale. Social skill and a number of relatively complex social skill dimensions in both assertion and conversation role-plays correlated significantly with the in vivo measures. Results support the external validity of role-played interactions in the assessment of social skill as well as the suggestion that social skills training should emphasize the more complex interpersonal behaviors. (French abstract) (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)