| 1. |
- Arborelius, Lotta, et al.
(författare)
-
A new interactive computer simulation system for violence risk assessment of mentally disordered violent offenders
- 2013
-
Ingår i: CBMH. Criminal behaviour and mental health. - : Wiley. - 0957-9664 .- 1471-2857. ; 23:1, s. 30-40
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Assessment of risk of future violence has developed from reliance on static indicators towards a more dynamic approach. In the latter context, however, the offender is seldom confronted with real life situations. Aims The aim of this study is to evaluate a computer-based system Reactions on Display, which presents human interactions based on real-life situations for its effectiveness in distinguishing between potentially violent offenders with mental disorder and a healthy comparison group. Methods Male offenders with autism spectrum disorders or psychosis were recruited from specialist forensic psychiatric units in Sweden and healthy participants from the local communities. Each consenting participant was presented with film clips of a man in neutral and violent situations, which at critical moments stopped the story to ask him to predict the thoughts, feelings and actions of the actor. Results Offender patients, irrespective of diagnosis, detected fewer emotional reactions in the actor in the non-violent sequence compared with controls. When asked to choose one of four violent actions, the offender patients chose more violent actions than did the controls. They also reported fewer physical reactions in the actors when actors were being violent. There were also some examples of incongruent or deviant responses by some individual patients. Conclusions and implications for practice The use of interactive computer simulation techniques is not only generally acceptable to offender patients, but it also helps to differentiate their current response style to particular circumstances from that of healthy controls in a way that does not rely on their verbal abilities and may tap more effectively into their emotional reactions than standard verbal questions and answer approaches. This may pave the way for Reactions on Display providing a useful complement to traditional risk assessment, and a training route with respect to learning more empathic responding, thus having a role in aiding risk management.
|
|
| 2. |
- Sygel, Kristina, et al.
(författare)
-
Reactions on Display/Intimate Partner Violence (RoD/IPVviolence) : a study of a new interactive computer simulation program for the treatment of men convicted of intimate partner violence
- 2014
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Forensic Mental Health. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1499-9013 .- 1932-9903. ; 13:4, s. 369-380
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A new, interactive computer simulation system (Reactions on Display/Intimate Partner Violence, RoD/IPV) depicting intimate partner violence has been created to facilitate change in a participant's violent behavior by allowing him to visually observe and reflect upon common feelings, thoughts, actions, and consequences in a typical domestic violence scenario. In this pilot study of the RoD/IPV system, 24 male offenders' use of RoD/IPV was compared with a non-offender control group of 10 men. Fourteen of the offenders had previously completed the Integrated Domestic Abuse Programme (IDAP). One two-hour simulation session per participant was carried out, during which the choices made and answers given to the interactive questions were logged. The participants' impressions of the system were recorded using a questionnaire. In this study, RoD/IPV appeared to be well received and understood, both by offenders and non-offenders, despite disparity in intelligence and computer literacy between the groups. Offenders who had not undergone IDAP showed a trend towards making more violent choices, and significant differences between the groups emerged in the area of interpretation of the simulated characters' emotions. This lends some support to earlier research regarding differences in emotional processing between offenders and non-offenders and suggestions that therapeutic interventions for intimate partner violence may be improved by adding emotion recognition training skills. The results of this small pilot study provide a base from which a future prospective randomised controlled trial of the RoD/IPV may be designed.
|
|
| 3. |
- Sygel, Kristina, et al.
(författare)
-
The effect of gender on the outcome of forensic psychiatric assessment in Sweden : A case vignette study
- 2017
-
Ingår i: CBMH. Criminal behaviour and mental health. - : Wiley. - 0957-9664 .- 1471-2857. ; 27:2, s. 124-135
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundPrevious research suggests that female violent offenders at risk of a prison sentence are more likely than their male counterparts to be assessed as having mental health problems of a nature or degree that would lead to a court requirement for hospital treatment.Aims/hypothesesTo test the hypothesis that there is bias towards hospital disposal of female compared with male violent offenders with mental disorder.MethodsIn Sweden, the National Board of Forensic Medicine oversees all assessments of mental disorder for the criminal courts. Twenty-six Board appointed forensic psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers each independently assessed six case vignettes for fit with criteria for ‘severe mental disorder’, a prerequisite for hospital disposal from court. Each gender neutral vignette described a person who had been convicted of serious assault and had a major mental disorder. A gender was then assigned to each offender randomly within a block design, thus varying between sets. Participants were blind to the main aim of the study and the gender variation.ResultsThere was no significant association between gender of the person assessed and judgement that s/he had a ‘severe mental disorder’. An offender depicted as having mental retardation was more likely to be assessed as at high risk of criminal recidivism if portrayed as female, regardless of the sex, place of work or level of experience of the assessor.ConclusionWe found no evidence of gender bias in determining appropriateness of a hospital disposal of an offender with mental disorder. The difference in assessment of recidivism according to sex of the patient was only in relation to mental retardation; further research would be needed to able to interpret this. As researchers in other countries have reported gender bias in disposals from court, our findings may provide support for a centralised forensic psychiatric assessment board and formal, on-going training.
|
|
| 4. |
- Wijk, Linda, et al.
(författare)
-
A pilot for a computer-based simulation system for risk estimation and treatment of mentally disordered offenders
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Informatics for Health and Social Care. - : Informa Healthcare. - 1753-8157 .- 1753-8165. ; 34:2, s. 106-115
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Risk/need analysis and treatment of mentally disordered offenders (MDOs) take place in constrained clinical settings, but violence has to be considered in a context where both social and cultural factors are of significance. One way to improve treatment and risk/need analysis of MDOs could be to develop simulation systems where users interact with video-based scenarios. The objective of this study was to develop and pilot test a simulation system to be used as a tool to study MDOs and possibly also to play a part in their rehabilitation. Collaboration between simulation and forensic psychiatry experts and a professional film team was set up. A simulation system called 'Reactions on Display' (RoD) was developed and a pilot study with eight patients and 13 staff members was carried out. Results from the study showed that RoD's interface and design were well received by patients and staff. Participants indicated that they found the video sequences realistic and the system enjoyable to use. The pilot study of RoD was positive, but further research should study possible clinical outcomes of the system. However, we believe that RoD could provide an advance in treatment and risk/need analysis of MDOs.
|
|
