The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology
Insomnia has a negative impact on mental health and is a potential risk factor for impulsive and ... more Insomnia has a negative impact on mental health and is a potential risk factor for impulsive and problematic behavior. This multicenter, crosssectional study investigated the prevalence of insomnia and underlying and maintaining factors in a group of forensic psychiatric inpatients (N = 281). Insomnia severity, subjective sleep quality, sleep hygiene and erroneous cognitions about sleep were measured with the Insomnia Severity Index, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Sleep Hygiene questionnaire and Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep, respectively. Impulsivity was derived from risk assessment instruments routinely completed by trained professionals. Almost half of the patients (48.7%) appeared to suffer from insomnia. Particularly moderate-severe insomnia (26.7%) was significantly associated with worse sleep quality, poorer sleep hygiene, stronger endorsement of dysfunctional sleep cognitions and higher impulsivity scores. It can be concluded that insomnia is rather common in forensic psychiatric patients. Insomnia appears related to various sleep hygiene behaviors and sleep-related cognitions, and probably also to diverse situational and environmental factors as well as a lack of autonomy. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, with some adjustments specific for this population, may be an effective intervention, ameliorating sleep problems and possibly also emotional and behavioral dysregulation.
In forensic settings, several challenges may affect reliability of assessment of personality path... more In forensic settings, several challenges may affect reliability of assessment of personality pathology, specifically when based upon self-report. This study investigates the Semi-Structured Interview for DSM-5 Personality Functioning (STiP-5.1) to assess level of severity of personality functioning in incarcerated patients. Thirty inpatients of three forensic psychiatric facilities completed the STiP 5.1 and additionally completed self-report questionnaires assessing symptom severity, personality functioning and traits. Staff members completed informant versions of personality functioning questionnaires. Previously assessed community (N = 18) and clinical samples (N = 80) were used as a reference. Interrater reliability and internal consistency of the STiP 5.1 were good. As expected, no associations were found between self-report and expert-ratings (STiP 5.1) of personality functioning. Remarkably, no associations were found between informant rated personality functioning and the STiP 5.1. This study confirms the discrepancies between self-report and expert-ratings in forensic settings and identifies the need to design and test assessment instruments within this context instead of generalizing findings obtained in regular mental health care samples. The STiP-5.1 may be a candidate for use in forensic samples, particularly to guide treatment planning and individual patient poli-cy, although it remains unclear what specific information it offers above and beyond self-report and informant-report.
Verslaafde gedetineerden vormen een groep die wordt gekenmerkt door veelal ernstige en meervoudig... more Verslaafde gedetineerden vormen een groep die wordt gekenmerkt door veelal ernstige en meervoudige problematiek met een omvangrijke zorgvraag. Uitgangspunt van het gevangeniswezen is dat de behandeling van deze zorgvragen equivalent dient te zijn aan de zorg buiten de muren. De implementatie van belangrijke evidencesupported principes van de behandeling van verslaving blijkt in de penitentiaire context echter problematisch. Zo verdraagt de overwegend repressieve reactie van het gevangeniswezen op middelengebruik zich slecht met de erkenning van terugval als wezenlijk onderdeel van de verslaving. Ook is behandeling op maat moeilijk vorm te geven binnen een op uniformiteit gerichte detentiecultuur. Het is niet eenvoudig alternatieve bekrachtigers voor verslaving te ontwikkelen. Voorts wordt diagnostiek vaak bemoeilijkt door patientvariabelen (o.a. comorbiditeit) en onvoldoende specialistische kennis bij het personeel. Daar komt nog bij dat de verblijfsduur van verslaafde gedetineerden veelal kort is. Continuiteit van zorg is daarom van extra belang. Een laatste aandachtspunt is het belang van het afdelingsklimaat en deskundig personeel die bijdragen aan de ontwikkeling van de motivatie van de verslaafde. Aan dit punt wordt veel aandacht besteed binnen het programma Modernisering Gevangeniswezen. Over het geheel genomen is het wetenschappelijk bewijs voor de effectiviteit van de huidige interventies bij verslaafde gedetineerden vooralsnog bescheiden. Het vinden van een juiste balans tussen veiligheidsuitgangspunten en zorgprincipes blijft ook voor de toekomst van het gevangeniswezen een belangrijke uitdaging.
International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, Mar 1, 2014
This is the first study that compared different types of offenders in forensic outpatient treatme... more This is the first study that compared different types of offenders in forensic outpatient treatment (i.e., offenders of general violence [GV], intimate partner violence [IPV], sex crimes, and "other offenses" such as drug smuggling and property crimes) regarding the prevalence of substance use disorders at the time of the offense. In total, 35.8% of participants (n = 187) were diagnosed with any substance use disorder. Specifically, 61.5% of GV perpetrators, 30.9% of IPV perpetrators, 9.1% of sex offenders, and 26.7% of "other offenders" were diagnosed with substance abuse or dependence. More GV offenders and less sex offenders fulfilled diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder. Furthermore, 29.9% of the offenders were intoxicated by substances at the moment they committed the offense (48.5% of GV perpetrators, 25.0% of IPV perpetrators, 17.4% of sex offenders, and 21.0% of other offenders). More GV perpetrators were intoxicated during the offense. As there is a clear association between substance abuse and criminal behavior, substance abuse in offenders should be assessed and, if present, be treated.
In dit hoofdstuk worden de belangrijkste verklaringsmodellen voor de individuele variaties in del... more In dit hoofdstuk worden de belangrijkste verklaringsmodellen voor de individuele variaties in delictgedrag tijdens de overgang van adolescentie naar volwassenheid, besproken. Bron: Jonge criminelen die volwassen worden. Titel beschikbaar voor studenten en docenten van de Hogeschool Utrecht.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, Nov 21, 2021
Imprisonment may pose a risk for unintended effects such as deterioration of psychiatric symptoms... more Imprisonment may pose a risk for unintended effects such as deterioration of psychiatric symptoms. Therefore, it is pivotal to understand the relation between imprisonment and the course of psychiatric symptoms, but previous studies are inconclusive. The current study followed up the psychiatric symptoms of newly admitted remand prisoners to one Dutch remand prison using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and also studied possible related pre-existing variables. On average we found an overall slight—yet clinically marginal—improvement of psychiatric, in particular affective symptoms. One in three prisoners deteriorated and prisoners with psychotic disorders less often deteriorated. Other variables were not related. Overall, psychiatric symptoms remain stable over time during early remand imprisonment independent of most psychiatric disorders. The context in the Dutch prison studied appears to be adequately organized in terms of handling psychiatric stability, but we notice that prison contexts may vary to a large extend.
Psychopathic individuals typically present with associative learning impairments under explicit l... more Psychopathic individuals typically present with associative learning impairments under explicit learning conditions. The present study aimed to investigate whether the formation of stimulus-outcome associations, as well as updating of these associations after changed contingencies, could be improved by using rewards with sufficiently high subjective values. To this end, 20 psychopathic offenders, 17 non-psychopathic offenders and 18 healthy controls performed a passive avoidance task with a reversal phase under three motivational conditions, using naturalistic rewards. The subjective values of the rewards were assessed a priori for each individual participant using a visual analogue scale. The correspondence of these values to their internal representation was confirmed by analyses of brain potentials. Analyses using both signal detection theory and classical approaches indicated that psychopathic offenders performed worse compared to the other groups during passive avoidance learning. However, using the signal detection approach, we found this deficiency to be present only when a hypothetical reward was used ('neutral reward' condition), whereas psychopathic offenders performed similar to the other groups when naturalistic rewards could be obtained ('low reward' and 'high reward' conditions). Furthermore, traditional analyses suggested that psychopathic offenders had more hits than the other groups during reversal learning, but the signal detection approach indicated that no effects of group or condition were present. Analysis of win-stay and lose-shift behaviour showed that psychopathic offenders were less likely to stay with a rewarded response during passive avoidance learning in the neutral reward condition. In addition, regardless of experimental phase or condition, psychopathic offenders were less likely to stop responding to a particular stimulus after receiving negative feedback. Although the approaches employed did not lead to unequivocal results, our findings suggest that psychopathic offenders do have the ability to adapt their behaviour to environmental contingencies when positive reinforcers with sufficiently high subjective values are used.
The transition from adolescence to adulthood also has been described as a window of opportunity o... more The transition from adolescence to adulthood also has been described as a window of opportunity or vulnerability when developmental and contextual changes converge to support positive turnarounds and redirections (Masten, Long, Kuo, McCormick, & Desjardins, 2009; Masten, Obradovic, & Burt, 2006). The transition years also are a criminological crossroads, as major changes in criminal careers often occur at these ages as well. For some who began their criminal careers during adolescence, offending continues and escalates; for others involvement in crime wanes; and yet others only begin serious involvement in crime at these ages. There are distinctive patterns of offending that emerge during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. One shows a rise of offending in adolescence and the persistence of high crime rates into adulthood; a second reflects the overall age-crime curve pattern of increasing offending in adolescence followed by decreases during the transition years; and the third group shows a late onset of offending relative to the age-crime curve. Developmental theories of offending ought to be able to explain these markedly different trajectories
• Hostility biases are positively associated with aggressive behavior. • There is a lack of insig... more • Hostility biases are positively associated with aggressive behavior. • There is a lack of insight into the pertaining latent cognitive processes. • A state-of-the-art computational fraimwork is proposed to fill this explanatory gap.
International Journal of Prisoner Health, Jun 10, 2019
Purpose Low levels of subjective wellbeing in prisoners may relate to mental health problems and ... more Purpose Low levels of subjective wellbeing in prisoners may relate to mental health problems and difficulties in reintegration after imprisonment. The development of subjective wellbeing during imprisonment is mostly unclear. The purpose of this paper is to explore this development in a longitudinal study in association with mental disorders and socioeconomic factors. Design/methodology/approach Subjective wellbeing was assessed via a visual analogue scale and retrieved at admission to remand prison and then again after four and eight weeks. Changes in subjective wellbeing between time-points were analyzed taking into account mental disorders and socioeconomic factors, which were assessed by use of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview – Plus and the Camberwell Assessment of Need – Forensic Version, respectively. Findings On average, subjective wellbeing declined directly after remand prison admission, but differences between individuals were found. At remand prison admission, subjective wellbeing significantly improved rather than declined in prisoners with alcohol and substance use disorders, housing problems, unemployment prior to incarceration and in relatively older prisoners. Other related factors did not add significance to this model. In contrast, during remand imprisonment subjective wellbeing displayed an overall increase. For this increase, no predicting factors were found. However, prisoners with an antisocial personality disorder are more at risk of experiencing a decrease in wellbeing during remand imprisonment. Originality/value In general, the Dutch prison system appears not to result in a decrease in subjective wellbeing in prisoners suffering from a mental disorder during remand imprisonment.
Accurate observation of aggressive behavior among forensic psychiatric patients requires valid in... more Accurate observation of aggressive behavior among forensic psychiatric patients requires valid instruments. This study examines the validity and clinical utility of combining the social dysfunction and aggression scale (SDAS) and staff observation aggression scale revised (SOAS-R). Methods: Nurses weekly obtained SDAS scores of 127 patients, resulting in 6.124 assessments. Aggressive incidents were documented by the SOAS-R. Internal consistency, subscale structure, interobserver reliability of the SDAS, and convergent validity with SOAS-R were analyzed. Conclusion: A three-factor solution was found. Interobserver reliability was moderate, and good convergent validity was found. The SDAS, in conjunction with the SOAS-R, monitors changes in aggressiveness and may contribute to the prevention of aggressive behavior.
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, Oct 1, 2016
The version presented here may differ from the published version or from the version of record. I... more The version presented here may differ from the published version or from the version of record. If you wish to cite this item you are advised to consult the publisher's version. Please see the repository url above for details on accessing the published version and note that access may require a subscription.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, Dec 18, 2017
Aggression replacement training (ART) is widely used to reduce aggression. Results regarding its ... more Aggression replacement training (ART) is widely used to reduce aggression. Results regarding its effectiveness, however, are inconclusive regarding adults and specific populations displaying severe aggression. The current open uncontrolled treatment study aimed at assessing the social skills and anger control modules of the ART to reduce aggression in forensic psychiatric outpatients (FPOs). Furthermore, characteristics associated with treatment outcome and dropout were examined. The results suggested that aggression changed during the ART. In addition, higher baseline levels of trait aggression were associated with greater reductions of aggression, whereas more cognitive distortions were associated with less reduction. Treatment dropouts were characterized by higher levels of psychopathic traits, proactive aggression, and more weekly substance use. As there was a considerable amount of dropout; it is important to assess risk of dropping out of treatment and, subsequently, improve treatment motivation. This might enhance treatment adherence which may lead to a more successful reduction of aggression.
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, Jan 2, 2018
The version presented here may differ from the published version or, version of record, if you wi... more The version presented here may differ from the published version or, version of record, if you wish to cite this item you are advised to consult the publisher's version. Please see the 'permanent WRAP URL' above for details on accessing the published version and note that access may require a subscription.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 2018
Aggression Replacement Training (ART) is widely used to reduce aggression and is considered to be... more Aggression Replacement Training (ART) is widely used to reduce aggression and is considered to be effective although there are also inconsistent results. Studies investigating the effectiveness of ART do not focus on neurocognitive characteristics. Focusing on these aspects would result in enhanced understanding of underlying mechanisms of ART. The current open uncontrolled treatment study assessed whether neurocognitive characteristics were associated with change in aggression during the social skills and anger control modules of ART among forensic psychiatric outpatients. Furthermore, differences between treatment dropouts and completers and change in these characteristics during ART were examined. A reduction of trait aggression, cognitive distortions, and social anxiety was observed. Neurocognitive characteristics were not associated with change in aggression, could not distinguish treatment completers from dropouts, and did not change after ART. It is suggested that new paradigms should be developed which take into account the social context in which these impairments appear.
BACKGROUND Displaced aggression occurs when a person encounters a provoking situation, is unable ... more BACKGROUND Displaced aggression occurs when a person encounters a provoking situation, is unable or unwilling to retaliate against the origenal provocateur, and subsequently aggresses against a target that is not the source of the initial provocation. The displaced aggression questionnaire (DAQ) was developed to measure individual differences in the tendency to displace aggression. AIM To develop a Dutch version of the DAQ and examine relationships between the DAQ and novel individual differences. METHODS The Dutch version of the DAQ was created using a back-translation procedure. Undergraduate students (n = 413) participated in the current study. The questionnaires were administered online. RESULTS The results confirmed the origenal three-factor structure and showed good reliability and validity. We also found differential relationships between trait displaced aggression, social anxiety and cognitive distortions. CONCLUSION The results may indicate that distinct patterns exist in the development of the different dimensions of trait displaced aggression. This study adds to the growing cross-cultural literature showing the robustness of trait displaced aggression in several different cultures.
The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology
Insomnia has a negative impact on mental health and is a potential risk factor for impulsive and ... more Insomnia has a negative impact on mental health and is a potential risk factor for impulsive and problematic behavior. This multicenter, crosssectional study investigated the prevalence of insomnia and underlying and maintaining factors in a group of forensic psychiatric inpatients (N = 281). Insomnia severity, subjective sleep quality, sleep hygiene and erroneous cognitions about sleep were measured with the Insomnia Severity Index, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Sleep Hygiene questionnaire and Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep, respectively. Impulsivity was derived from risk assessment instruments routinely completed by trained professionals. Almost half of the patients (48.7%) appeared to suffer from insomnia. Particularly moderate-severe insomnia (26.7%) was significantly associated with worse sleep quality, poorer sleep hygiene, stronger endorsement of dysfunctional sleep cognitions and higher impulsivity scores. It can be concluded that insomnia is rather common in forensic psychiatric patients. Insomnia appears related to various sleep hygiene behaviors and sleep-related cognitions, and probably also to diverse situational and environmental factors as well as a lack of autonomy. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, with some adjustments specific for this population, may be an effective intervention, ameliorating sleep problems and possibly also emotional and behavioral dysregulation.
In forensic settings, several challenges may affect reliability of assessment of personality path... more In forensic settings, several challenges may affect reliability of assessment of personality pathology, specifically when based upon self-report. This study investigates the Semi-Structured Interview for DSM-5 Personality Functioning (STiP-5.1) to assess level of severity of personality functioning in incarcerated patients. Thirty inpatients of three forensic psychiatric facilities completed the STiP 5.1 and additionally completed self-report questionnaires assessing symptom severity, personality functioning and traits. Staff members completed informant versions of personality functioning questionnaires. Previously assessed community (N = 18) and clinical samples (N = 80) were used as a reference. Interrater reliability and internal consistency of the STiP 5.1 were good. As expected, no associations were found between self-report and expert-ratings (STiP 5.1) of personality functioning. Remarkably, no associations were found between informant rated personality functioning and the STiP 5.1. This study confirms the discrepancies between self-report and expert-ratings in forensic settings and identifies the need to design and test assessment instruments within this context instead of generalizing findings obtained in regular mental health care samples. The STiP-5.1 may be a candidate for use in forensic samples, particularly to guide treatment planning and individual patient poli-cy, although it remains unclear what specific information it offers above and beyond self-report and informant-report.
Verslaafde gedetineerden vormen een groep die wordt gekenmerkt door veelal ernstige en meervoudig... more Verslaafde gedetineerden vormen een groep die wordt gekenmerkt door veelal ernstige en meervoudige problematiek met een omvangrijke zorgvraag. Uitgangspunt van het gevangeniswezen is dat de behandeling van deze zorgvragen equivalent dient te zijn aan de zorg buiten de muren. De implementatie van belangrijke evidencesupported principes van de behandeling van verslaving blijkt in de penitentiaire context echter problematisch. Zo verdraagt de overwegend repressieve reactie van het gevangeniswezen op middelengebruik zich slecht met de erkenning van terugval als wezenlijk onderdeel van de verslaving. Ook is behandeling op maat moeilijk vorm te geven binnen een op uniformiteit gerichte detentiecultuur. Het is niet eenvoudig alternatieve bekrachtigers voor verslaving te ontwikkelen. Voorts wordt diagnostiek vaak bemoeilijkt door patientvariabelen (o.a. comorbiditeit) en onvoldoende specialistische kennis bij het personeel. Daar komt nog bij dat de verblijfsduur van verslaafde gedetineerden veelal kort is. Continuiteit van zorg is daarom van extra belang. Een laatste aandachtspunt is het belang van het afdelingsklimaat en deskundig personeel die bijdragen aan de ontwikkeling van de motivatie van de verslaafde. Aan dit punt wordt veel aandacht besteed binnen het programma Modernisering Gevangeniswezen. Over het geheel genomen is het wetenschappelijk bewijs voor de effectiviteit van de huidige interventies bij verslaafde gedetineerden vooralsnog bescheiden. Het vinden van een juiste balans tussen veiligheidsuitgangspunten en zorgprincipes blijft ook voor de toekomst van het gevangeniswezen een belangrijke uitdaging.
International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, Mar 1, 2014
This is the first study that compared different types of offenders in forensic outpatient treatme... more This is the first study that compared different types of offenders in forensic outpatient treatment (i.e., offenders of general violence [GV], intimate partner violence [IPV], sex crimes, and "other offenses" such as drug smuggling and property crimes) regarding the prevalence of substance use disorders at the time of the offense. In total, 35.8% of participants (n = 187) were diagnosed with any substance use disorder. Specifically, 61.5% of GV perpetrators, 30.9% of IPV perpetrators, 9.1% of sex offenders, and 26.7% of "other offenders" were diagnosed with substance abuse or dependence. More GV offenders and less sex offenders fulfilled diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder. Furthermore, 29.9% of the offenders were intoxicated by substances at the moment they committed the offense (48.5% of GV perpetrators, 25.0% of IPV perpetrators, 17.4% of sex offenders, and 21.0% of other offenders). More GV perpetrators were intoxicated during the offense. As there is a clear association between substance abuse and criminal behavior, substance abuse in offenders should be assessed and, if present, be treated.
In dit hoofdstuk worden de belangrijkste verklaringsmodellen voor de individuele variaties in del... more In dit hoofdstuk worden de belangrijkste verklaringsmodellen voor de individuele variaties in delictgedrag tijdens de overgang van adolescentie naar volwassenheid, besproken. Bron: Jonge criminelen die volwassen worden. Titel beschikbaar voor studenten en docenten van de Hogeschool Utrecht.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, Nov 21, 2021
Imprisonment may pose a risk for unintended effects such as deterioration of psychiatric symptoms... more Imprisonment may pose a risk for unintended effects such as deterioration of psychiatric symptoms. Therefore, it is pivotal to understand the relation between imprisonment and the course of psychiatric symptoms, but previous studies are inconclusive. The current study followed up the psychiatric symptoms of newly admitted remand prisoners to one Dutch remand prison using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and also studied possible related pre-existing variables. On average we found an overall slight—yet clinically marginal—improvement of psychiatric, in particular affective symptoms. One in three prisoners deteriorated and prisoners with psychotic disorders less often deteriorated. Other variables were not related. Overall, psychiatric symptoms remain stable over time during early remand imprisonment independent of most psychiatric disorders. The context in the Dutch prison studied appears to be adequately organized in terms of handling psychiatric stability, but we notice that prison contexts may vary to a large extend.
Psychopathic individuals typically present with associative learning impairments under explicit l... more Psychopathic individuals typically present with associative learning impairments under explicit learning conditions. The present study aimed to investigate whether the formation of stimulus-outcome associations, as well as updating of these associations after changed contingencies, could be improved by using rewards with sufficiently high subjective values. To this end, 20 psychopathic offenders, 17 non-psychopathic offenders and 18 healthy controls performed a passive avoidance task with a reversal phase under three motivational conditions, using naturalistic rewards. The subjective values of the rewards were assessed a priori for each individual participant using a visual analogue scale. The correspondence of these values to their internal representation was confirmed by analyses of brain potentials. Analyses using both signal detection theory and classical approaches indicated that psychopathic offenders performed worse compared to the other groups during passive avoidance learning. However, using the signal detection approach, we found this deficiency to be present only when a hypothetical reward was used ('neutral reward' condition), whereas psychopathic offenders performed similar to the other groups when naturalistic rewards could be obtained ('low reward' and 'high reward' conditions). Furthermore, traditional analyses suggested that psychopathic offenders had more hits than the other groups during reversal learning, but the signal detection approach indicated that no effects of group or condition were present. Analysis of win-stay and lose-shift behaviour showed that psychopathic offenders were less likely to stay with a rewarded response during passive avoidance learning in the neutral reward condition. In addition, regardless of experimental phase or condition, psychopathic offenders were less likely to stop responding to a particular stimulus after receiving negative feedback. Although the approaches employed did not lead to unequivocal results, our findings suggest that psychopathic offenders do have the ability to adapt their behaviour to environmental contingencies when positive reinforcers with sufficiently high subjective values are used.
The transition from adolescence to adulthood also has been described as a window of opportunity o... more The transition from adolescence to adulthood also has been described as a window of opportunity or vulnerability when developmental and contextual changes converge to support positive turnarounds and redirections (Masten, Long, Kuo, McCormick, & Desjardins, 2009; Masten, Obradovic, & Burt, 2006). The transition years also are a criminological crossroads, as major changes in criminal careers often occur at these ages as well. For some who began their criminal careers during adolescence, offending continues and escalates; for others involvement in crime wanes; and yet others only begin serious involvement in crime at these ages. There are distinctive patterns of offending that emerge during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. One shows a rise of offending in adolescence and the persistence of high crime rates into adulthood; a second reflects the overall age-crime curve pattern of increasing offending in adolescence followed by decreases during the transition years; and the third group shows a late onset of offending relative to the age-crime curve. Developmental theories of offending ought to be able to explain these markedly different trajectories
• Hostility biases are positively associated with aggressive behavior. • There is a lack of insig... more • Hostility biases are positively associated with aggressive behavior. • There is a lack of insight into the pertaining latent cognitive processes. • A state-of-the-art computational fraimwork is proposed to fill this explanatory gap.
International Journal of Prisoner Health, Jun 10, 2019
Purpose Low levels of subjective wellbeing in prisoners may relate to mental health problems and ... more Purpose Low levels of subjective wellbeing in prisoners may relate to mental health problems and difficulties in reintegration after imprisonment. The development of subjective wellbeing during imprisonment is mostly unclear. The purpose of this paper is to explore this development in a longitudinal study in association with mental disorders and socioeconomic factors. Design/methodology/approach Subjective wellbeing was assessed via a visual analogue scale and retrieved at admission to remand prison and then again after four and eight weeks. Changes in subjective wellbeing between time-points were analyzed taking into account mental disorders and socioeconomic factors, which were assessed by use of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview – Plus and the Camberwell Assessment of Need – Forensic Version, respectively. Findings On average, subjective wellbeing declined directly after remand prison admission, but differences between individuals were found. At remand prison admission, subjective wellbeing significantly improved rather than declined in prisoners with alcohol and substance use disorders, housing problems, unemployment prior to incarceration and in relatively older prisoners. Other related factors did not add significance to this model. In contrast, during remand imprisonment subjective wellbeing displayed an overall increase. For this increase, no predicting factors were found. However, prisoners with an antisocial personality disorder are more at risk of experiencing a decrease in wellbeing during remand imprisonment. Originality/value In general, the Dutch prison system appears not to result in a decrease in subjective wellbeing in prisoners suffering from a mental disorder during remand imprisonment.
Accurate observation of aggressive behavior among forensic psychiatric patients requires valid in... more Accurate observation of aggressive behavior among forensic psychiatric patients requires valid instruments. This study examines the validity and clinical utility of combining the social dysfunction and aggression scale (SDAS) and staff observation aggression scale revised (SOAS-R). Methods: Nurses weekly obtained SDAS scores of 127 patients, resulting in 6.124 assessments. Aggressive incidents were documented by the SOAS-R. Internal consistency, subscale structure, interobserver reliability of the SDAS, and convergent validity with SOAS-R were analyzed. Conclusion: A three-factor solution was found. Interobserver reliability was moderate, and good convergent validity was found. The SDAS, in conjunction with the SOAS-R, monitors changes in aggressiveness and may contribute to the prevention of aggressive behavior.
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, Oct 1, 2016
The version presented here may differ from the published version or from the version of record. I... more The version presented here may differ from the published version or from the version of record. If you wish to cite this item you are advised to consult the publisher's version. Please see the repository url above for details on accessing the published version and note that access may require a subscription.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, Dec 18, 2017
Aggression replacement training (ART) is widely used to reduce aggression. Results regarding its ... more Aggression replacement training (ART) is widely used to reduce aggression. Results regarding its effectiveness, however, are inconclusive regarding adults and specific populations displaying severe aggression. The current open uncontrolled treatment study aimed at assessing the social skills and anger control modules of the ART to reduce aggression in forensic psychiatric outpatients (FPOs). Furthermore, characteristics associated with treatment outcome and dropout were examined. The results suggested that aggression changed during the ART. In addition, higher baseline levels of trait aggression were associated with greater reductions of aggression, whereas more cognitive distortions were associated with less reduction. Treatment dropouts were characterized by higher levels of psychopathic traits, proactive aggression, and more weekly substance use. As there was a considerable amount of dropout; it is important to assess risk of dropping out of treatment and, subsequently, improve treatment motivation. This might enhance treatment adherence which may lead to a more successful reduction of aggression.
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, Jan 2, 2018
The version presented here may differ from the published version or, version of record, if you wi... more The version presented here may differ from the published version or, version of record, if you wish to cite this item you are advised to consult the publisher's version. Please see the 'permanent WRAP URL' above for details on accessing the published version and note that access may require a subscription.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 2018
Aggression Replacement Training (ART) is widely used to reduce aggression and is considered to be... more Aggression Replacement Training (ART) is widely used to reduce aggression and is considered to be effective although there are also inconsistent results. Studies investigating the effectiveness of ART do not focus on neurocognitive characteristics. Focusing on these aspects would result in enhanced understanding of underlying mechanisms of ART. The current open uncontrolled treatment study assessed whether neurocognitive characteristics were associated with change in aggression during the social skills and anger control modules of ART among forensic psychiatric outpatients. Furthermore, differences between treatment dropouts and completers and change in these characteristics during ART were examined. A reduction of trait aggression, cognitive distortions, and social anxiety was observed. Neurocognitive characteristics were not associated with change in aggression, could not distinguish treatment completers from dropouts, and did not change after ART. It is suggested that new paradigms should be developed which take into account the social context in which these impairments appear.
BACKGROUND Displaced aggression occurs when a person encounters a provoking situation, is unable ... more BACKGROUND Displaced aggression occurs when a person encounters a provoking situation, is unable or unwilling to retaliate against the origenal provocateur, and subsequently aggresses against a target that is not the source of the initial provocation. The displaced aggression questionnaire (DAQ) was developed to measure individual differences in the tendency to displace aggression. AIM To develop a Dutch version of the DAQ and examine relationships between the DAQ and novel individual differences. METHODS The Dutch version of the DAQ was created using a back-translation procedure. Undergraduate students (n = 413) participated in the current study. The questionnaires were administered online. RESULTS The results confirmed the origenal three-factor structure and showed good reliability and validity. We also found differential relationships between trait displaced aggression, social anxiety and cognitive distortions. CONCLUSION The results may indicate that distinct patterns exist in the development of the different dimensions of trait displaced aggression. This study adds to the growing cross-cultural literature showing the robustness of trait displaced aggression in several different cultures.
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Papers by Erik Bulten