Loading...
8 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
- Remand prisoners’ specific needs: A systematic reviewPublication . Andrade, Joana; Sousa, Marta; Abrunhosa Gonçalves, Rui; Castro Rodrigues, Andreia deRemand prisoners (RP) are non-sentenced individuals who must be held in prison awaiting sentencing. The international data reported that up to a third of the detainees worldwide are in a pre-trial situation. The present systematic review aims to review the studies that assessed the remand prisoners’ mental problems during detention. Following the PICO strategy, the search identifed a total of 5427 studies, of which, 79 studies were included in the fnal analysis. Substance use disorders were the most reported problem, followed by mood disorders, psychotic disorders, and personality and behavior disorders. A smaller number of studies reported anxiety and neurotic disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder and adjustment disorders, intellectual disorders, paraphilias and sexual disorders, attention-defcit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder, eating disorders, and somatoform disorders. Our fndings contribute to the scientifc knowledge about this group of inmates’ needs, emphasizing the prevalence of mental problems within this population and supporting both professionals and academics to reform policies and practices.
- INSIGHT intervention for individuals who sexually offended against children: Preliminary results of a randomized pilot studyPublication . Sousa, Marta; Gonçalves, Rui Abrunhosa; De Castro Rodrigues, AndreiaThis study examined the preliminary results of a 25-session individual intervention program designed for individuals who sexually offended against children (ISOCs) in Portugal, whether in prison or the community setting. A randomized controlled pilot study was conducted, where eighteen ISOCs were randomly assigned to receive the INSIGHT intervention plus treatment as usual (TAU) or only TAU. ISOCs in the treatment condition demonstrated significant reductions in cognitive distortions related to child sexual abuse, some early maladaptive schemas, psychopathology, interpersonal problems, and risk of sexual violence, along with increases in self-esteem, empathy, and empathy towards victims, all with larger effect sizes. Most of these improvements were sustained at the 3-month follow-up. The intervention shows a potential promise in reducing the risk of sexual violence by addressing risk-relevant factors. Further evaluation with a larger sample is needed for more robust conclusions.
- Intra and extra-familial child sexual abuse: The role of psychopathyPublication . Sousa, Marta; Cunha, Olga; Gonçalves, Rui Abrunhosa; De Castro Rodrigues, AndreiaThe present study analyses the relationship between psychopathic traits, the four facets of psychopathy (i.e., interpersonal, affective, lifestyle, and antisocial), and the type of crime committed (i.e., intrafamilial and extrafamilial child sexual abuse; and nonsexual crimes). The Self-Report Psychopathy Scale – Short Form (SRP-SF) and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale – Short Form were completed by 110 male individuals who sexually offended minors (ISOMs) and 146 individuals convicted for nonsexual crimes. Four binary logistic regression analyses were conducted, controlling for sociodemographic, criminal, and individual variables. ISOMs are less likely to score high in the SRP-SF total score and the interpersonal facet and more likely to score high in the affective facet than individuals with nonsexual crimes. Besides, ISOMs are less likely to have a prior history of alcohol and drug abuse and to have previous contact with the justice system but are more likely to have a history of psychological problems. Therefore, only the prior alcohol and drug abuse history emerged as predictors for ISOMs subtypes. According to our results, psychopathic traits should not be considered in the assessment and intervention of ISOMs, and the focus of the intervention should be on the affective dimension and the level of psychopathology
- Initial Validation of Hanson Sex Attitude Questionnaire (HSAQ) in Portuguese perpetrators of child sexual abuse and perpetrators of non-sexual crimesPublication . Sousa, Marta; Gouveia, Cláudia; Cunha, Olga; Basto-Pereira, Miguel; Gonçalves, Rui Abrunhosa; Castro Rodrigues, Andreia deCognitive distortions (CDs) are a crucial element in the etiology of child sexual offending, with most of the intervention programs targeting them to reduce the risk of sexual recidivism in perpetrators of child sexual abuse (CSA). Researchers have developed the Hanson Sex Attitude Questionnaire (HSAQ) to assess CDs. With a total sample of 256 participants, the Portuguese version of the HSAQ revealed a two- factor structure. The HSAQ subscales demonstrated good to acceptable psychometric properties in terms of internal consistency, as well as discriminant validity. One of the subscales also demonstrated conver-gent validity. Additionally, the two subscales exhibited differences between perpetrators of CSA with and without previous interventions, indicating known-groups validity. Overall, our findings partially support the use of the HSAQ in the forensic Portuguese population, underscor-ing its significance for clinical and research purposes. Nevertheless, particular caution is advised, especially regarding factor two
- The portuguese version of victim empathy distortion scale: Adaptation and psychometric propertiesPublication . Sousa, Marta; Cunha, Olga; Gonçalves, Rui Abrunhosa; De Castro Rodrigues, AndreiaVictim empathy is a common intervention target in intervention programs designed for individuals who perpetrated child sexual abuse (CSA). Researchers have developed the Victim Empathy Distortion Scale (VES), an instrument designed to assess empathy for victims of CSA. The present study aims to adapt the VES for the Portuguese population and examine its psychometric properties. One hundred and twelve individuals who perpetrated CSA and 245 individuals from the community participated in this study. The confirmatory factor analysis did not show satisfactory indices for the structures previously tested. Consequently, the search for an alternative model revealed a two-factor structure, explaining approximately 50% of the total variance. Results also indicated good internal consistency, discriminant validity, and known-groups validity. Overall, the results support the claim that the Portuguese version of the VES is a valuable and psychometrically reliable instrument for measuring victim empathy in forensic and non-forensic settings. © The Author(s) 2024.
- Validation of the revised Screening Scale for Pedophilic Interests (SSPI-2) in PortugalPublication . Gouveia, Cláudia; Sousa, Marta; Cunha, Olga; Seto, Michael; De Castro Rodrigues, Andreia; Gonçalves, Rui AbrunhosaThe accurate assessment of pedophilic sexual interests is crucial for the treatment andmanagement of individuals who have sexually offended children. This study aimed tovalidate the Revised Screening Scale for Pedophilic Interests (SSPI-2) in a Portuguesesample of 170 men convicted of sexual offenses against children, 104 serving sentencesin the community, and 66 in prison. The findings indicated that SSPI-2 demonstratedgood convergent validity, as evidenced by its significant and positive associations withthe “sexual deviance” item of SVR-20, the number of previous convictions for sexualcrimes against children, and having 3 or more child victims, which is associated withhigh sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing men who show greater sexual arousal tochildren than to adults. Furthermore, the SSPI-2 exhibited good divergent validity, withno significant correlations observed with a self-report measure of psychopathy or witha nonsexual criminal history
- To be or not to be empathic: The role of empathy in child sexual offendingPublication . Sousa, Marta; Cunha, Olga; Gonçalves, Rui Abrunhosa; De Castro Rodrigues, AndreiaAlthough treatment providers very often use empathy training in treatment for those who sexually offend, it is essential to further investigate the predictive capacity of this construct for committing a child sexual offending. This study aimed to examine the relationship between empathy and different types of offending behavior (i.e., child sexual offending and nonsexual offending). The sample was composed of 113 male individuals who sexually offended minors (ISOMs) and 146 individuals convicted of nonsexual crimes. Four separate binary logistic regression analyses were conducted controlling for sociodemographic variables. Only cognitive empathy emerged as a predictor for committing a sexual crime against a minor, with ISOMs being more likely to score less in cognitive empathy than the nonsexual group. Therefore, extrafamilial ISOMs are more likely to score higher in cognitive empathy than intrafamilial. This study highlighted the importance of addressing cognitive empathy in psychological intervention for ISOMs.
- The effectiveness of psychological treatment in adult male convicted for sexual offenses against children: A systematic reviewPublication . Sousa, Marta; Andrade, Joana; De Castro Rodrigues, Andreia; Gonçalves, Rui AbrunhosaChild sexual abuse is a public health problem of global magnitude with profound and negative consequences for the victims and society. Thus, psychological intervention with individuals who sexually offended against children is crucial for reducing recidivism. Numerous reviews and meta-analyses have shown the effectiveness of psychological interventions in individuals who sexually offended, but few reviews have been done on this subtype of offenders. This article reviews evaluation studies of intervention programs designed to treat individuals who sexually offended against children, providing a more detailed account of treatment procedures. Articles were identified from peer-reviewed databases, bibliographies, and experts. Following full-text review, 12 studies were selected for inclusion by meeting the following criteria: quantitative or qualitative research studies published in English from 2000 to 2020 with titles or abstracts that indicated a focus on treatment effectiveness, detailing the psychological treatment procedures on adult, male individuals convicted for child sexual abuse. Cognitive-behavioral therapy with a relapse prevention approach was the most frequent modality found in child sexual offending treatment. Besides, different criminogenic and non-criminogenic factors emerge as targets for intervention. Study design, study quality, and intervention procedures shortened the accumulation of evidence in treatment effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Trauma, Violence & Abuse is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)