Louise Dixon

Review of Meta-Analyses on the Association Between Child Sexual Abuse and Adult Mental Health Difficulties: A Systematic Approach

This review evaluates the quality of recent meta-analyses on child sexual abuse and adult psychopathology. Using systematic review methods, seven recently published, English-language meta-analyses met the inclusion criteria of assessing outcome of child sexual abuse. Some methodological weaknesses were identified, such as failure to assess the validity of the primary studies. Child sexual abuse was found to be a nonspecific risk factor in the development of adult mental health difficulties, but the effect sizes varied (partly related to sample type and size). No gender difference was consistently found on adult mental health difficulties but was for victims’ perceived mental health consequence. Future meta-analyses need to consider their methods of assessing primary studies to allow for an evidence-based model of adult psychopathology.

The heterogeneity of spouse abuse: a review

Recent research suggests that spouse abusers are not a homogeneous group. Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart [Psychol. Bull. 116 (1994) 476] propose three types of domestic violent men: family only, generally violent/antisocial, and dysphoric/borderline personality. This theoretical classification is compared to nine empirical research studies and two hypothetical studies, which can be found in the literature dated from 1994 onwards. The review provides support for the threefold typology. The total averages of offenders classified by Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuarts typology across the studies were 50%, 30%, and 20%, respectively. However, when sample type was considered, a significant difference between court referrals and volunteers was found for the mens distribution across the three types, with court-referred men being less likely to be categorised into the family-only group. All research to date is criticised for its narrow focus on the offender and its lack of a scientific profiling approach. Other factors such as the context, triggers for violence, and the behavioural actions of the victim need to be considered. A more holistic family-focused typology is suggested to be more appropriate for those victims who do not want to separate from their violent spouse.

The Co-occurrence of Child and Intimate Partner Maltreatment in the Family: Characteristics of the Violent Perpetrators

This study considers the characteristics associated with mothers and fathers who maltreat their child and each other in comparison to parents who only maltreat their child. One hundred and sixty-two parents who had allegations of child maltreatment made against them were considered. The sample consisted of 43 fathers (Paternal Family—PF) and 23 mothers (Maternal Family—MF) who perpetrated both partner and child maltreatment, together with 23 fathers (Paternal Child—PC) and 26 mothers (Maternal Child—MC) who perpetrated child maltreatment only. In addition, 2 fathers (Paternal Victim—PV) and 23 mothers (Maternal Victim—MV) were victims of intimate partner maltreatment and perpetrators of child maltreatment and 7 fathers (Paternal Non-abusive Carer—PNC) and 15 mothers (Maternal Non-abusive Carer—MNC) did not maltreat the child but lived with an individual who did. Within their family unit, 40.7% of parents perpetrated both intimate partner and child maltreatment. However, fathers were significantly more likely to maltreat both their partner and child than mothers and mothers were significantly more likely to be victims of intimate partner violence than fathers. PF fathers conducted the highest amount of physical and/or sexual child maltreatment while MC and MV mothers perpetrated the highest amount of child neglect. Few significant differences between mothers were found. PF fathers had significantly more factors associated with development of a criminogenic lifestyle than PC fathers. Marked sex differences were demonstrated with PF fathers demonstrating significantly more antisocial characteristics, less mental health problems and fewer feelings of isolation than MF mothers. MC mothers had significantly more childhood abuse, mental health problems, parenting risk factors and were significantly more likely to be biologically related to the child than PC fathers. This study suggests that violent families should be assessed and treated in a holistic manner, considering the effects of partner violence upon all family members, rather than exclusively intervening with the violent man.

What Works in Offender Rehabilitation: An Evidence-Based Approach to Assessment and Treatment

compendium of work related to offender assessment and treatment. Comprehensive in scope and written by the very best researchers and practitioners in the field, this book is set to become an essential guide for forensic professionals and a core text for those on teaching and training courses. In bringing this collection of excellent chapters together, the editors have done a great service to all of us who work with offenders to reduce crime.” Professor Mary McMurran, PhD, Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham

Classifying Partner Femicide

The heterogeneity of domestic violent men has long been established. However, research has failed to examine this phenomenon among men committing the most severe form of domestic violence. This study aims to use a multidimensional approach to empirically construct a classification system of men who are incarcerated for the murder of their female partner based on the Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart (1994) typology. Ninety men who had been convicted and imprisoned for the murder of their female partner or spouse in England were identified from two prison samples. A content dictionary defining offense and offender characteristics associated with two dimensions of psychopathology and criminality was developed. These variables were extracted from institutional records via content analysis and analyzed for thematic structure using multidimensional scaling procedures. The resultant framework classified 80% (n = 72) of the sample into three subgroups of men characterized by (a) low criminality/low psychopathology (15%), (b) moderate-high criminality/ high psychopathology (36%), and (c) high criminality/low-moderate psychopathology (49%). The latter two groups are akin to Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuarts (1994) generally violent/antisocial and dysphoric/borderline offender, respectively. The implications for intervention, developing consensus in research methodology across the field, and examining typologies of domestic violent men prospectively are discussed.

Assessment and Treatment of Distorted Schemas in Sexual Offenders

The aim of this review is to examine the literature related to the assessment and treatment of sex offenders’ distorted schemas. Where appropriate, the review draws upon current insights from the field of social cognition to aid in the critical evaluation of the findings. First, the review considers the various different methodologies for assessing distorted schemas, discussing their strengths and limitations. Second, the review examines the work related to the treatment of sex offenders’ schemas. Suggestions for future research, and the implications for clinical practice, are highlighted in the article.

The construction and validation of the OASys Violence Predictor: Advancing violence risk assessment in the English and Welsh correctional services.

The Offender Assessment System (OASys) is the risk assessment and management system routinely used in the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), the prison and probation service for England and Wales. This study describes the construction and validation of a new actuarial violence risk measure, the OASys Violence Predictor (OVP), using OASys and Police National Computer data. Ordinal logistic regression identifies static and dynamic risk factors predictive of violent recidivism among convicted offenders (N = 15,918). These form the basis of a user-friendly 100-point scale (OVP). OVP achieves significantly greater predictive validity than existing actuarial scores available within NOMS (the original OASys risk prediction score; the Offender Group Reconviction Scale, Version 3; and the V scale of the Risk Matrix 2000) on a later validation sample (N = 49,346). The discussion considers explanations for this improvement, examines the utility of dynamic risk factors in violence prediction, and describes the application of OVP in the NOMS treatment allocation and risk management practice.

Investigating changes in anger and aggression in offenders with high levels of psychopathic traits attending the Chromis violence reduction programme

BACKGROUND Chromis was accredited by the Correction Services Accreditation Panel in 2005 as an intervention designed to reduce violence in offenders whose level or combination of psychopathic traits disrupts their ability to engage in treatment and change. It runs as part of the regime in the dangerous and severe personality disorder unit in HM Prison Frankland (Westgate). A multiple case study investigation into changes over time in participants is currently underway, part of which is reported here. AIMS This paper reports on information relating to changes in anger and aggression in Chromis completers. METHODS Change in psychometrics and observed incidents of verbal and physical aggression are considered for five case study participants who have completed Chromis and progressed from Westgate to a different location. RESULTS Findings suggest that cases experienced a reduction in self-reported anger, and expected incidents of physical aggression but had higher than expected levels of verbal aggression after leaving Westgate. CONCLUSIONS These findings offer cautious optimism for the effectiveness of Chromis, although methodological limitations must also be considered. Findings may be seen as positive indicators of Chromis, or at least the approach to working with these offenders across Westgate, in reducing violence. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Findings support the continued delivery and evaluation of Chromis. There may be benefit in exploring ways to further understand and address verbal aggression in participants.

Developing an empirical classification of violent offences for use in the prediction of recidivism in England and Wales

Purpose – The classification of criminal acts as violent or nonviolent should be a keystone of actuarial predictors of violent recidivism, as it affects their outcome measure and scoring of criminal history, thus influencing many decisions about sentencing, release and treatment allocation. Examination of existing actuarial and clinical violence risk assessment tools and research studies reveals considerable variation in the classifications used. This paper aims to use large samples to develop an alternative, empirically grounded classification that can be used to improve actuarial predictive scores within the offender assessment system (OASys), the tool used by the National Offender Management Service of England and Wales to assess static and dynamic risk.Design/methodology/approach – Two analytical steps are implemented. First, to identify offences that frequently involve violent acts, 230,334 OASys cases are analyzed for indicators of violent content. Second, the ability of dynamic and static risk fact...

Concurrent and prospective associations between facial affect recognition accuracy and childhood antisocial behavior

This study examined the concurrent and prospective associations between childrens ability to accurately recognize facial affect at age 8.5 and antisocial behavior at age 8.5 and 10.5 years in a sub sample of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children cohort (5,396 children; 2,644, 49% males). All observed effects were small. It was found that at age 8.5 years, in contrast to nonantisocial children; antisocial children were less accurate at decoding happy and sad expressions when presented at low intensity. In addition, concurrent antisocial behavior was associated with misidentifying expressions of fear as expressions of sadness. In longitudinal analyses, children who misidentified fear as anger exhibited a decreased risk of antisocial behavior 2 years later. The study suggests that concurrent rather than future antisocial behavior is associated with facial affect recognition accuracy.