Jochem Willemsen

The Dula Dangerous Driving Index: An investigation of reliability and validity across cultures

The aim of this study is to further establish the validity and reliability of the Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI). The reliability and validity of the instrument was investigated by comparing data from a US university sample, a US community sample, and a sample of Belgian traffic offenders. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis supported the presence of a four-factor structure with items for Drunk Driving forming a separate scale apart from items for Risky Driving, Negative Cognitive/Emotional Driving and Aggressive Driving. A multi-group confirmatory factor analysis with model constraints supported the validity of the DDDI. Inter-correlations revealed that the DDDI subscales are closely interrelated and uni-dimensionality of the measure was found in all three samples. This suggests the DDDI Total score can be used as a composite measure for dangerous driving. However, the validity of the subscales was demonstrated in the Belgian sample, as specific traffic offender groups (convicted for drunk driving, aggressive driving, speeding) scored higher on corresponding scales (Drunk Driving, Aggressive Driving, and Risky Driving, respectively), indicating that it is clinically meaningful to differentiate the subscales.

Psychopathy and predatory violence in homicide, violent, and sexual offences: Factor and facet relations

Purpose. Evidence has been found pointing to a relationship between psychopathy and predatory violence. The present study investigated the violence mode and its relationship with psychopathy on factor as well as on facet levels. It was hypothesized that predatory violence would be related to the affective and/or interpersonal facets of psychopathy.Asubsidiaryhypothesiswasthatsexualoffencescouldalsobedifferentiated by means of violence mode. Methods. Participants were 82 male inmates convicted of a violent crime, a sexual crime, or a homicide. Psychopathy was assessed with the Hare PCL-R2 and the violence mode was assessed by means of Cornell’s Aggressive Incident Coding Sheet, based on interviews with the offenders and a review of the official record. Results. On the psychopathy subcomponent level, only the interpersonal facet was positively related with predatory violence. This association makes sense considering that psychopaths’ interactions with others are defined by gradients of power and control and narcissistic gratification, rather than by attachment patterns. By contrast, the antisocial facet was associated negatively with predatory violence. Our subsidiary hypothesis concerning the possibility of differentiating sexual violence on the basis of the two violence modes was not confirmed. Conclusions. The present results add to the growing evidence that predatory violence is related to the personality traits of psychopathy rather than to its life-style and antisocial characteristics. Therefore, a risk analysis of future predatory violent behaviour might benefit from the inclusion of the assessment of the personality facets of psychopathy instead of focusing solely on the antisocial behaviour.

Psychoanalytic Single Cases Published in ISI-Ranked Journals: The Construction of an Online Archive

nique (e.g. music therapy, bodypacking, wilderness therapy, etc. were not included), (3) the case study is either the focus of the article or an illustrative vignette of sufficient size (more than 50% of the publication or longer than five pages), (4) the case study is written in English, French, or German, and (5) the case study presents an original analysis of therapeutic data. Four hundred and fifty-three cases were selected according to these criteria. The full text of 8 cases could not be obtained. The full texts of the remaining 445 articles were screened with the Inventory of Basic Information in Single Cases (IBISC), an ad hoc constructed inventory that assesses the presence of basic information on research method, patient, therapist, and therapy. The IBISC, the IBISC manual, and the full results of the screening are available at www.singlecasearchive.com. What follows is a concise overview of salient results of the screening.

Psychopathy, Traumatic Exposure, and Lifetime Posttraumatic Stress

This study examined two theoretical models on the interaction between psychopathy, traumatic exposure, and lifetime posttraumatic stress in a sample of 81 male detainees. In Model 1, the interpersonal and affective features of psychopathy were assumed to protect against posttraumatic stress. In Model 2, the lifestyle and antisocial traits of psychopathy were assumed to lead to a lifestyle that increases the risk of traumatic exposure and subsequent posttraumatic stress. The authors found significant negative bivariate associations between Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL-R) total, Interpersonal and Affective facet scores, and posttraumatic stress. Model 1 was confirmed, as they found the interaction between the Affective facet and traumatic exposure had a significant negative effect on posttraumatic stress. Model 2 was rejected. The authors’ findings confirm that the interpersonal and affective features of psychopathy are associated with an emotional deficit and that the affective features of psychopathy are crucial for understanding the relationship between psychopathy and anxiety.

Psychopathy and lifetime experiences of depression.

BACKGROUND Previous studies have investigated an association between psychopathy and depression as part of the broader study of co-morbidity between psychopathy and Axis I psychopathology or as part of validity tests for psychopathy. These study methods have, however, been limited, for example, by exclusive use of questionnaires, or categorical measures of depression, and by low base rates of psychopathology. AIMS Our aims were to extend previous research on psychopathy and depression and to test the hypothesis that total Psychopathy Checklist - Revised (PCL-R) scores, and the four facets of interpersonal, affective, lifestyle and anti-social behaviour, would be negatively associated with depressive symptom scores. METHODS Dimensional measures of psychopathy and lifetime major depression were derived from structured interviews (the PCL-R and the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition, Revised) with adult male prisoners. The emotional experience of depression was also studied through analysis of the narratives used by the men to describe their depressive symptoms. RESULTS The PCL-R scores, and in particular the interpersonal, affective and lifestyle facets of the PCL-R, were inversely associated with depression scores. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that psychopathy does influence the way depression is experienced.

Psychopathy and internalizing psychopathology

There is general consensus in clinical and research literature that the core feature of psychopathy consists of an affective deficit. However, previous studies tend to find weak and inconsistent associations between psychopathy and measures of internalizing psychopathology. In this study we test whether the predominant practice of using questionnaires to assess internalizing psychopathology has influenced the results of previous research. We argue that questionnaires measure general distress rather than specific symptoms of internalizing psychopathology, and that the validity of questionnaires might be impaired by psychopathic traits, such as impression management and lack of affective experience. Combining a questionnaire (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21; DASS-21) and a semi-structured interview (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-R Axis 1 Disorders; SCID-I) for internalizing psychopathology, we test the differential association of both measures with the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) in a sample of 89 male detainees. In accordance with our prediction, we found moderate negative associations between the Interpersonal and Affective facets of the PCL-R and SCID-I, but no significant associations with the DASS-21. We found no evidence that psychopathic traits decrease the validity of the responses on a questionnaire. We conclude that the interpersonal and affective features of psychopathy are negatively related to specific symptoms of internalizing psychopathology, but not with general distress.

Interactions between obsessional symptoms and interpersonal dynamics: An empirical single case study

Both classical and contemporary psychoanalytic theories stress the importance of interpersonal dynamics in treating neurotic symptoms. Associations between the symptomatic and interpersonal level were formally represented in the symptom specificity hypothesis (Blatt, 1974, 2004), which linked obsessional symptoms to an autonomous interpersonal stance. Findings from cross-sectional group studies on symptom specificity, however, do not converge, possibly indicating that the complexity of associations is underestimated. This article presents a theory-building case study specifically aiming at refinement of the classical symptom specificity hypothesis by quantitatively and qualitatively describing the longitudinal clinical interplay between obsessional symptoms and interpersonal dynamics throughout a psychodynamic psychotherapy. Interpersonal functioning was assessed by means of the core conflictual relationship theme method (Luborsky & Crits-Cristoph, 1998). Findings affirm a close association between symptoms and interpersonal dynamics. However, obsessional symptoms proved to be determined by profound ambivalences—manifesting both within and between relationships—between dependent and autonomous interpersonal behavior. Psychodynamic interventions focusing on interpersonal conflicts were associated with symptomatic alterations. Conceptual and methodological considerations, limitations and future research indications are discussed.

A metasynthesis of published case studies through Lacan's L-schema: Transference in perversion

Transference in perversion is characterized by specific problems such as a defiant and polemic attitude, erotic transference, projections, and aggression. Such transference poses particular problems in the treatment of perversion and might render analytical work with these patients impossible. The authors propose that Lacans L‐schema can contribute to separating productive from counterproductive aspects of transference as it distinguishes between an Imaginary and a Symbolic dimension in transference. In this meta‐synthesis of 11 published case studies on sexual perversion, patterns of transference are analysed. On the Imaginary dimension, the authors found that patients with perversion tend to (un)consciously engage the analyst in a relationship characterized by identification, fusion and rivalry. On the Symbolic dimension, they found that perverse patients are able to question their motives, lapses, symptoms, and subjective identity. The thematic analysis revealed the importance of the position of the analyst in this work, which is described within the L‐schema as being the representative of the otherness in the Other. Implications for clinical practice and recommendations for further research are outlined.

“Simply Speaking Your Mind, from the Depths of Your Soul”: Therapeutic Factors in Experiential Group Psychotherapy for Sex Offenders

ABSTRACT Sex offenders demonstrate heightened levels of negative emotions, traumatic experiences, mental health issues, and emotion disregulation. This study presents a qualitative analysis of interviews with sex offenders concerning helpful experiences in experiential group psychotherapy. Experiential group psychotherapy aims to increase emotional awareness, emotional expression, and reflection on emotions. The data were thematically coded according to Yalom’s therapeutic factors for group psychotherapy. The results indicate that Cohesion is reported to be most helpful: when clients trust their peers and feel respected by therapists, emotional engagement in treatment is achieved. Clients report being more capable of focusing on and tolerating their own emotions, which also influences the way they relate to other people (Interpersonal Learning). Experiences related to Universality, Instillation of Hope, Altruism, and Existential Learning were also mentioned as helpful in the treatment.

Theoretical pluralism in psychoanalytic case studies

The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the scientific activity of different psychoanalytic schools of thought in terms of the content and production of case studies published on ISI Web of Knowledge. Between March 2013 and November 2013, we contacted all case study authors included in the online archive of psychoanalytic and psychodynamic case studies (www.singlecasearchive.com) to inquire about their psychoanalytic orientation during their work with the patient. The response rate for this study was 45%. It appears that the two oldest psychoanalytic schools, Object-relations psychoanalysis and Ego psychology or “Classical psychoanalysis” dominate the literature of published case studies. However, most authors stated that they feel attached to two or more psychoanalytic schools of thought. This confirms that the theoretical pluralism in psychoanalysis stretches to the field of single case studies. The single case studies of each psychoanalytic school are described separately in terms of methodology, patient, therapist, or treatment features. We conclude that published case studies features are fairly similar across different psychoanalytic schools. The results of this study are not representative of all psychoanalytic schools, as some do not publish their work in ISI ranked journals.