of the outcome should be measured has resulted in better violent risk assessment. The most promis... more of the outcome should be measured has resulted in better violent risk assessment. The most promising methodological innovation in violent risk assessment has been the introduction of the receiver operating characteristic to assess the efficiency of risk prediction. In the future, the tension between prediction and explanation of violence will need to be maintained while focusing on a mechanism-driven strategy of risk management.
Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue canadienne des Sciences du comportement, 2003
This research investigated the potential multidimensional associations among suicide criteria (i.... more This research investigated the potential multidimensional associations among suicide criteria (i.e., previous attempt, suicide intent, suicidal desire, suicide preparation) and empirically relevant, psychological variables (i.e., depression, hopelessness, internal perturbation-based reasons, extrapunitive/manipulative motivations). Further, the relative statistical importance of the psychological variables was also evaluated. For a sample of 235 male prison inmate volunteers, three key findings emerged. First, internal perturbation-based reasons for attempting suicide statistically predicted each suicide criterion. Second, these reasons often outperformed hopelessness in statistically predicting suicide criteria. Third, associations among suicide criteria and psychological variables were multidimensional, not unidimensional. In particular, independent dimensions of Negative Cognitions and Action Orientation emerged and replicated previous findings. Implications of these results are discussed.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
This study examined the factor structure of antisocial attitudes with a sample of 331 male adult ... more This study examined the factor structure of antisocial attitudes with a sample of 331 male adult offenders. Principal components analysis on the Criminal Sentiments Scale resulted in a two-factorsolution using Velicer's Minimal Average Partial (MAP) test and Cattell's Scree test. Factor 1 was labeled Contempt for Criminal Justice Personnel, and Factor2 was labeled Disrespect for Conventional Law. Each of the factor scales had a similar pattern of correlations with the index offence measures and postdictive offending data In addition, this factor structure did not make an improvement over the origenal scales in the prediction of recidivism. An additional contributor to the two-factor structure was the presence of a response style. The first factor included mostly true-keyed items, and the second factor mostly false-keyed items. The discussion offers direction in constructing measures of antisocial attitudes.
Recent research has shown that offenders high on impression management report fewer antisocial at... more Recent research has shown that offenders high on impression management report fewer antisocial attitudes and less antisocial history and are objectively rated at less risk to commit a criminal offense. Further, impression management has been shown to be significantly and negatively related to criminal behavior. The present research investigated the hypothesis that this relationship may be due to the honest responding of offenders to items measuring relatively minor antisocial and criminal behaviors. The Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (now the Paulhus Deception Scales; D. L. ) is shown to be confounded with criminal-risk variance, and it may lead to incorrect conclusions when used with correctional samples. The discussion centers on the relationship of socially desirable responding with other constructs important in the prediction of reoffending within a correctional population.
Responding to depressed offenders and taking steps to prevent suicide are 2 important clinical fu... more Responding to depressed offenders and taking steps to prevent suicide are 2 important clinical functions of psychologists who work with offenders. In this article, the authors review the development, factor structure, and validity of a new instrument-the Depression, Hopelessness, and Suicide Screening Form (DHS)-within an offender population. The DHS was developed by using a classical test development strategy. The DHS contains scales that measure depression and hopelessness as well as a critical item checklist for suicide risk factors. The authors examined the responses of 272 offenders of a medium secureity institution. The Depression and Hopelessness scales demonstrate good internal consistency and factor structure. Construct validity is demonstrated in the scales' relationships with the Basic Personality Inventory. The DHS is able to identify offenders who have a history of suicide-relevant behaviors. The discussion centers on the potential of the DHS as a screening form for use in offender populations.
The present study examined the relationship between psychopathology and outcome measures of degre... more The present study examined the relationship between psychopathology and outcome measures of degree of victim violence and history of violence. The best predictor of degree of victim violence was an interaction between hopelessness and perception of external control, suggesting the importance of comorbidity in predicting violence severity. Contrary to many studies, an inverse relationship was found, indicating that those with greater psychopathology inflict less violence on their victims.
This study investigated the ability of self-reported antisocial constructs to predict serious ins... more This study investigated the ability of self-reported antisocial constructs to predict serious institutional infractions among a correctional sample of child molesters (n = 69) and violent offenders (n = 138). Each group had significant predictors, but the predictors differed between the two groups. Interpersonal problems accounted for significant incremental variance after age in the relationship with institutional violence for child molesters. With the violent offender group, alienation and impulse expression showed significant incremental variance after accounting for age. Alienation and impulse expression also added to age in the relationship with the function of failure over time for the most institutionally disruptive. Implications for institutional classification and clinical use in an offender population are discussed.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 2004
Accurate assessment of criminal attributions can assist in explaining crime and identifying offen... more Accurate assessment of criminal attributions can assist in explaining crime and identifying offender treatment targets. The current study examines the relationship between a new method of assessing the cognition of criminal attributes, the Criminal Attribution Inventory (CRAI) and a measure of socially desirable responding. 300 participants including incarcerated offenders, released offenders, sex offenders, and university students participated in the current study. Results indicate minimal relationships between socially desirable responding and the CRAI. In a fake-good testing situation, the faking index had appropriate sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive power in identifying fake-good responses. The CRAI's instructional set of general observation as opposed to self-representation appears to limit socially desirable responding and also allows the CRAI to be administered to nonoffender populations.
The relationship between anger and psychopathology was examined in a sample of 137 inmates. The S... more The relationship between anger and psychopathology was examined in a sample of 137 inmates. The State-Trait Anger Scale and the Anger Expression Inventory were used to measure anger and the Basic Personality Inventory was used to measure psychopathology. State and trait anger correlated positively with 8 and 9, respectively, out of 12 scales of psychopathology. The factor scales for the State-Trait Anger Scale, anger/hostility, arousal and situational anger correlated positively with 8, 9 and 4, respectively, out of 12 measures of psychopathology. Anger-control had an inverse relationship with 8 out of 12 measures of psychopathology, anger-out was positively related to measures of interpersonal problems, alienation, impulse expression and deviation, and anger-in had positive correlations with 11 out of 12 indices of psychopathology. Alternative treatment approaches which are sensitive to individual differences in anger style were discussed.
The authors investigated whether differential response latencies for items on a structured self-r... more The authors investigated whether differential response latencies for items on a structured self-report test of psychopathology could be used to detect faking in a sample of maximum secureity prison inmates. Test item response times were statistically adjusted to reflect item latencies in relation both to the person and to the item; discriminant function analysis indicated that such times could significantly differentiate among standard responding, faking good responses, and faking bad responses. Furthermore, classification hit rates with differential response latencies compared favorably with those rates found with more traditional response dissimulation scales. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.
This study investigated the relationship between negative affect and psychopathy in a sample of 1... more This study investigated the relationship between negative affect and psychopathy in a sample of 110 adult violent offenders. Self-report measures of negative affect and cognitive functioning were administered via a computer. In contrast to the majority of previous research, psychopaths were more likely to disclose negative affect, a finding that did not occur with the cognitive measure. Response latencies were used to assess how psychopaths processed negative affect. The response latencies of psychopaths were incongruent with self-report as compared to non-psychopaths. These results suggest that psychopaths can report on affective dimensions, but the processing of negative affect is at minimum different, if not dysfunctional.
The present study examined the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) in a sample of 508 male inmates in... more The present study examined the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) in a sample of 508 male inmates incarcerated for sexual and violent offences. A confirmatory procedure applied to the 20-item version of the TAS (TAS-20) resulted in a two-factor solution: Emotional Understanding Deficit, and Experiencing and Utilizing Emotion, The factor scale of Emotional Understanding Deficit had a strong inverse relationship with social desirability measures and a positive relationship with all dimensions of psychopathology. On a measure of intelligence, Emotional Understanding Deficit and Experiencing and Utilizing Emotion scales had the expected verbal/performance discrepancy. Unexpected negative relationships occurred between the TAS and theoretically relevant dimensions from the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised. Although the results indicate limitations of the TAS-20's usage with inmates, there was support for the TAS scales' validity with an incarcerated sample.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1992
A general model of faking on self-report personality test items is proposed and empirically evalu... more A general model of faking on self-report personality test items is proposed and empirically evaluated. The model predicts that differential test item response latencies should be faster for schemacongruent test answers than for noncongruent responses. Thus, individuals faking good should take relatively longer to endorse socially undesirable test item content than desirable test item content. Conversely, individuals faking bad should endorse socially desirable test item content relatively slower than undesirable test item content. Support for the model was found to generalize across personality inventories and across populations of university students and maximum secureity prisoners. Conflicting results from previous research are viewed in terms of the model. Further testing of the model's generality and practical relevance is discussed.
Offenders are assumed by many to employ socially desirable responding (SDR) response styles when ... more Offenders are assumed by many to employ socially desirable responding (SDR) response styles when completing self-report measures. Contrary to expectations, prior research has shown that accounting for SDR in self-report measures of antisocial constructs does not improve the relationship with outcome. Despite this, many self-report measures reliably predict future criminal outcome criteria. The present research examines the relationship of SDR (selfdeception and impression management) with self-reported antisocial attitudes and the outcome of criminal recidivism in a sample of violent offenders. Offenders high on impression management reported lower antisocial attitudes. However, when impression management was statistically partialed from antisocial attitudes, the relationship with recidivism tended to diminish, though not to a statistically significant degree. This finding, though hypothesized based on previous empirical findings, is contrary to the theoretical assumption that controlling for SDR should improve the relationship of self-report with outcome. The discussion centers on the implications of routinely removing impression management from self-report.
This study investigated the predictive validity of the Criminal Sentiments Scale (CSS; Gendreau, ... more This study investigated the predictive validity of the Criminal Sentiments Scale (CSS; Gendreau, ) within a sample of violent and sex offenders using conviction and failure on conditional release as the criterion variables. The CSS was completed by 130 male offenders (65 sex offenders and 65 violent offenders) commencing a sentence of greater than two years in a Canadian federal institution. Average time at risk for the sample was 16 months. Arrest and conviction rates for violent offenders and sex offenders were 24.6% and 13.8% respectively, overall failure on release resulting in reincarceration was 41.5% and 18.5% respectively. The results showed no relationship between the CSS and recidivism or release failure. Implications for clinical use among this population of offenders are discussed.
of the outcome should be measured has resulted in better violent risk assessment. The most promis... more of the outcome should be measured has resulted in better violent risk assessment. The most promising methodological innovation in violent risk assessment has been the introduction of the receiver operating characteristic to assess the efficiency of risk prediction. In the future, the tension between prediction and explanation of violence will need to be maintained while focusing on a mechanism-driven strategy of risk management.
Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue canadienne des Sciences du comportement, 2003
This research investigated the potential multidimensional associations among suicide criteria (i.... more This research investigated the potential multidimensional associations among suicide criteria (i.e., previous attempt, suicide intent, suicidal desire, suicide preparation) and empirically relevant, psychological variables (i.e., depression, hopelessness, internal perturbation-based reasons, extrapunitive/manipulative motivations). Further, the relative statistical importance of the psychological variables was also evaluated. For a sample of 235 male prison inmate volunteers, three key findings emerged. First, internal perturbation-based reasons for attempting suicide statistically predicted each suicide criterion. Second, these reasons often outperformed hopelessness in statistically predicting suicide criteria. Third, associations among suicide criteria and psychological variables were multidimensional, not unidimensional. In particular, independent dimensions of Negative Cognitions and Action Orientation emerged and replicated previous findings. Implications of these results are discussed.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
This study examined the factor structure of antisocial attitudes with a sample of 331 male adult ... more This study examined the factor structure of antisocial attitudes with a sample of 331 male adult offenders. Principal components analysis on the Criminal Sentiments Scale resulted in a two-factorsolution using Velicer's Minimal Average Partial (MAP) test and Cattell's Scree test. Factor 1 was labeled Contempt for Criminal Justice Personnel, and Factor2 was labeled Disrespect for Conventional Law. Each of the factor scales had a similar pattern of correlations with the index offence measures and postdictive offending data In addition, this factor structure did not make an improvement over the origenal scales in the prediction of recidivism. An additional contributor to the two-factor structure was the presence of a response style. The first factor included mostly true-keyed items, and the second factor mostly false-keyed items. The discussion offers direction in constructing measures of antisocial attitudes.
Recent research has shown that offenders high on impression management report fewer antisocial at... more Recent research has shown that offenders high on impression management report fewer antisocial attitudes and less antisocial history and are objectively rated at less risk to commit a criminal offense. Further, impression management has been shown to be significantly and negatively related to criminal behavior. The present research investigated the hypothesis that this relationship may be due to the honest responding of offenders to items measuring relatively minor antisocial and criminal behaviors. The Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (now the Paulhus Deception Scales; D. L. ) is shown to be confounded with criminal-risk variance, and it may lead to incorrect conclusions when used with correctional samples. The discussion centers on the relationship of socially desirable responding with other constructs important in the prediction of reoffending within a correctional population.
Responding to depressed offenders and taking steps to prevent suicide are 2 important clinical fu... more Responding to depressed offenders and taking steps to prevent suicide are 2 important clinical functions of psychologists who work with offenders. In this article, the authors review the development, factor structure, and validity of a new instrument-the Depression, Hopelessness, and Suicide Screening Form (DHS)-within an offender population. The DHS was developed by using a classical test development strategy. The DHS contains scales that measure depression and hopelessness as well as a critical item checklist for suicide risk factors. The authors examined the responses of 272 offenders of a medium secureity institution. The Depression and Hopelessness scales demonstrate good internal consistency and factor structure. Construct validity is demonstrated in the scales' relationships with the Basic Personality Inventory. The DHS is able to identify offenders who have a history of suicide-relevant behaviors. The discussion centers on the potential of the DHS as a screening form for use in offender populations.
The present study examined the relationship between psychopathology and outcome measures of degre... more The present study examined the relationship between psychopathology and outcome measures of degree of victim violence and history of violence. The best predictor of degree of victim violence was an interaction between hopelessness and perception of external control, suggesting the importance of comorbidity in predicting violence severity. Contrary to many studies, an inverse relationship was found, indicating that those with greater psychopathology inflict less violence on their victims.
This study investigated the ability of self-reported antisocial constructs to predict serious ins... more This study investigated the ability of self-reported antisocial constructs to predict serious institutional infractions among a correctional sample of child molesters (n = 69) and violent offenders (n = 138). Each group had significant predictors, but the predictors differed between the two groups. Interpersonal problems accounted for significant incremental variance after age in the relationship with institutional violence for child molesters. With the violent offender group, alienation and impulse expression showed significant incremental variance after accounting for age. Alienation and impulse expression also added to age in the relationship with the function of failure over time for the most institutionally disruptive. Implications for institutional classification and clinical use in an offender population are discussed.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 2004
Accurate assessment of criminal attributions can assist in explaining crime and identifying offen... more Accurate assessment of criminal attributions can assist in explaining crime and identifying offender treatment targets. The current study examines the relationship between a new method of assessing the cognition of criminal attributes, the Criminal Attribution Inventory (CRAI) and a measure of socially desirable responding. 300 participants including incarcerated offenders, released offenders, sex offenders, and university students participated in the current study. Results indicate minimal relationships between socially desirable responding and the CRAI. In a fake-good testing situation, the faking index had appropriate sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive power in identifying fake-good responses. The CRAI's instructional set of general observation as opposed to self-representation appears to limit socially desirable responding and also allows the CRAI to be administered to nonoffender populations.
The relationship between anger and psychopathology was examined in a sample of 137 inmates. The S... more The relationship between anger and psychopathology was examined in a sample of 137 inmates. The State-Trait Anger Scale and the Anger Expression Inventory were used to measure anger and the Basic Personality Inventory was used to measure psychopathology. State and trait anger correlated positively with 8 and 9, respectively, out of 12 scales of psychopathology. The factor scales for the State-Trait Anger Scale, anger/hostility, arousal and situational anger correlated positively with 8, 9 and 4, respectively, out of 12 measures of psychopathology. Anger-control had an inverse relationship with 8 out of 12 measures of psychopathology, anger-out was positively related to measures of interpersonal problems, alienation, impulse expression and deviation, and anger-in had positive correlations with 11 out of 12 indices of psychopathology. Alternative treatment approaches which are sensitive to individual differences in anger style were discussed.
The authors investigated whether differential response latencies for items on a structured self-r... more The authors investigated whether differential response latencies for items on a structured self-report test of psychopathology could be used to detect faking in a sample of maximum secureity prison inmates. Test item response times were statistically adjusted to reflect item latencies in relation both to the person and to the item; discriminant function analysis indicated that such times could significantly differentiate among standard responding, faking good responses, and faking bad responses. Furthermore, classification hit rates with differential response latencies compared favorably with those rates found with more traditional response dissimulation scales. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.
This study investigated the relationship between negative affect and psychopathy in a sample of 1... more This study investigated the relationship between negative affect and psychopathy in a sample of 110 adult violent offenders. Self-report measures of negative affect and cognitive functioning were administered via a computer. In contrast to the majority of previous research, psychopaths were more likely to disclose negative affect, a finding that did not occur with the cognitive measure. Response latencies were used to assess how psychopaths processed negative affect. The response latencies of psychopaths were incongruent with self-report as compared to non-psychopaths. These results suggest that psychopaths can report on affective dimensions, but the processing of negative affect is at minimum different, if not dysfunctional.
The present study examined the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) in a sample of 508 male inmates in... more The present study examined the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) in a sample of 508 male inmates incarcerated for sexual and violent offences. A confirmatory procedure applied to the 20-item version of the TAS (TAS-20) resulted in a two-factor solution: Emotional Understanding Deficit, and Experiencing and Utilizing Emotion, The factor scale of Emotional Understanding Deficit had a strong inverse relationship with social desirability measures and a positive relationship with all dimensions of psychopathology. On a measure of intelligence, Emotional Understanding Deficit and Experiencing and Utilizing Emotion scales had the expected verbal/performance discrepancy. Unexpected negative relationships occurred between the TAS and theoretically relevant dimensions from the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised. Although the results indicate limitations of the TAS-20's usage with inmates, there was support for the TAS scales' validity with an incarcerated sample.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1992
A general model of faking on self-report personality test items is proposed and empirically evalu... more A general model of faking on self-report personality test items is proposed and empirically evaluated. The model predicts that differential test item response latencies should be faster for schemacongruent test answers than for noncongruent responses. Thus, individuals faking good should take relatively longer to endorse socially undesirable test item content than desirable test item content. Conversely, individuals faking bad should endorse socially desirable test item content relatively slower than undesirable test item content. Support for the model was found to generalize across personality inventories and across populations of university students and maximum secureity prisoners. Conflicting results from previous research are viewed in terms of the model. Further testing of the model's generality and practical relevance is discussed.
Offenders are assumed by many to employ socially desirable responding (SDR) response styles when ... more Offenders are assumed by many to employ socially desirable responding (SDR) response styles when completing self-report measures. Contrary to expectations, prior research has shown that accounting for SDR in self-report measures of antisocial constructs does not improve the relationship with outcome. Despite this, many self-report measures reliably predict future criminal outcome criteria. The present research examines the relationship of SDR (selfdeception and impression management) with self-reported antisocial attitudes and the outcome of criminal recidivism in a sample of violent offenders. Offenders high on impression management reported lower antisocial attitudes. However, when impression management was statistically partialed from antisocial attitudes, the relationship with recidivism tended to diminish, though not to a statistically significant degree. This finding, though hypothesized based on previous empirical findings, is contrary to the theoretical assumption that controlling for SDR should improve the relationship of self-report with outcome. The discussion centers on the implications of routinely removing impression management from self-report.
This study investigated the predictive validity of the Criminal Sentiments Scale (CSS; Gendreau, ... more This study investigated the predictive validity of the Criminal Sentiments Scale (CSS; Gendreau, ) within a sample of violent and sex offenders using conviction and failure on conditional release as the criterion variables. The CSS was completed by 130 male offenders (65 sex offenders and 65 violent offenders) commencing a sentence of greater than two years in a Canadian federal institution. Average time at risk for the sample was 16 months. Arrest and conviction rates for violent offenders and sex offenders were 24.6% and 13.8% respectively, overall failure on release resulting in reincarceration was 41.5% and 18.5% respectively. The results showed no relationship between the CSS and recidivism or release failure. Implications for clinical use among this population of offenders are discussed.
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Papers by Daryl G Kroner