S. Bogaerts

Inter-Rater and Test-Retest Reliability, Internal Consistency, and Factorial Structure of the Instrument for Forensic Treatment Evaluation

In this study, the Instrument for Forensic Treatment Evaluation (IFTE) is introduced. The IFTE includes 14 dynamic items of the risk assessment scheme HKT-R and eight items specifically related to the treatment of forensic psychiatric patients. The items are divided over three factors: protective behavior, problematic behavior and resocialization skills. Inter-rater reliability and test-retest reliability ranged from moderate to almost perfect in a Dutch population of 232 forensic patients. Factor analysis largely confirmed the factor structure. The IFTE is evaluated to be a reliable routine outcome monitoring instrument for supporting and indicating inpatient forensic psychiatric treatment evaluations and processes.

Influence of Music Therapy on Coping Skills and Anger Management in Forensic Psychiatric Patients: An Exploratory Study

The effect of music therapy on anger management and coping skills is an innovative subject in the field of forensic psychiatry. This study explores the following research question: Can music therapy treatment contribute to positive changes in coping skills, anger management, and dysfunctional behavior of forensic psychiatric patients? To investigate this question, first a literature review is offered on music therapy and anger management in forensic psychiatry. Then, an explorative study is presented. In the study, a pre- and post-test design was used with a random assignment of patients to either treatment or control condition. Fourteen participants’ complete datasets were collected. All participants received “treatment as usual.” Nine of the participants received a standardized, music therapy anger management program; the five controls received, unplanned, an aggression management program. Results suggested that anger management skills improved for all participants. The improvement of positive coping skills and diminishing of avoidance as a coping skill were measured to show greater changes in music therapy participants. When controlling for the exact number of treatment hours, the outcomes suggested that music therapy might accelerate the process of behavioral changes.

Concurrent and Predictive Validity of the Instrument for Forensic Treatment Evaluation : From Risk Assessment to Routine, Multidisciplinary Treatment Evaluation

Besides assessment of forensic patients’ risk of future violence and criminogenic needs, knowledge on their responsivity to treatment is equally important. However, instruments currently used for risk assessment are not sensitive enough for treatment evaluation. Therefore, the Instrument for Forensic Treatment Evaluation (IFTE) was developed. The IFTE is a treatment evaluation tool, which uses the dynamic risk items of the Dutch risk assessment tool, the HKT-R (Historical, Clinical, Future–Revised). The IFTE has an extended answering scale, which makes it more sensitive for measuring change and enables clinicians to monitor patients’ responsivity to treatment closely. This study examines the concurrent and predictive validity of the IFTE. We found moderate to strong correlations between IFTE items and HKT-30 items (the HKT-30 is the predecessor of the HKT-R), with work and therapy attendance, and positive drug tests. In addition, we found moderate to modest correlations between some IFTE items and work and therapy attendance in a 6-month follow-up period and modest to high discriminative power for some IFTE items for violence and drug use 6 months after the measurement. Given its good reliability and validity properties, and comprehensive but short-term nature, implementation of the IFTE in forensic practice likely improves individual treatment of forensic psychiatric patients and has high potential for risk management purposes.

Intracolleague Aggression in a Group of Dutch Prison Workers: Negative Affectivity and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

This study examined workplace aggression among a Dutch group of 174 prison workers at 10 penitentiaries in the Netherlands. The purpose of the study was to investigate the main and interaction effects of Type D personality and violence on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The results showed a significant interaction effect between the type of violence and Type D personality. Physically violated Type D individuals achieved the highest average score on the PTSD scale. Type D personality was found to have a strong main effect on PTSD.