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- The four facets of the Psychopathy Checklist, Youth Version and recidivism: A meta-analysisPublication . Braga, Teresa; Castro Rodrigues, Andreia de; Cruz, Ana Rita; Pechorro, Pedro; Cunha, OlgaThe present meta-analysis explored the predictive utility of the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version at the facet level, namely the relation between the interpersonal, affective, lifestyle, and antisocial facets with violent and general recidivism. We included data from 12 manuscripts and 16 independent samples drawn exclusively from longitudinal study designs. Only the lifestyle and the antisocial facets were significantly related to both outcomes (General: rw = 0.15, p = .023 and rw = 0.22, p < .001, respectively. Violent: rw = 0.17, p = .003 and rw = 0.24, p < .001, respectively). Additional analyses from multivariate results revealed contrasting lower effect sizes (not exceeding rw = 0.05), which suggests the shared variance between the facets is more important for predicting recidivism than their independent effect. Finally, our moderation analyses showed that longer follow-ups resulted in lower predictive effects among some facets, suggesting the malleability of psychopathic traits in youth.
- Suicide concerns among pretrial detainees: validation of the Portuguese version of the SCOPE-2Publication . Andrade, Joana; Gomes, Hugo; Gonçalves, Rui; De Castro Rodrigues, AndreiaPurpose – Remand prisoners (RPs) are known to be in a more vulnerable situation than those already convicted. Beyond the difficulties to adapt to the prison, RP also tend to experience tough circumstances due to the uncertainty of their future. This study aims to further test the psychometric properties of the Suicide Concerns for Offenders in the Prison Environment (SCOPE-2) in a sample of RP. Design/methodology/approach – The authors have carried out a confirmatory factor analysis to test the psychometric qualities of the SCOPE-2. The authors tested the originally proposed two-factor structure composed of two subscales: optimism and protective self-worth. Also, the authors examined internal consistency through Cronbach’s alphas. Convergent validity was tested by correlational analyses between SCOPE-2 subscales and the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) total scores. Finally, the authors have tested known-groups validity by carrying out discriminant analysis by testing the SCOPE-2 subscales’ ability to predict belonging to a group with previous suicide attempts. Findings – The confirmatory factor analysis showed an acceptable model fit, even though the subscale ‘‘Protective self-worth’’ presented a less acceptable fit. The correlation analysis supported the convergent validity of the SCOPE-2. Both the ‘‘Optimism’’ and ‘‘Protective self-worth’’ subscales showed a positive correlation with the total scores of BSI. Finally, the Portuguese version of SCOPE-2 also showed known groups validity. Concretely, the ‘‘Optimism’’ scores revealed an acceptable predictive accuracy. Practical implications – This study embraces important contributions to the practice as it was the first study to validate a measure to assess vulnerability for suicide and self-harm in male and female RP. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this was the first study to validate an instrument to assess vulnerability for suicide and self-harm in both male and female pretrial detainees. Knowing their particular case, as well as the lack of responses for these individuals, it is particularly important to access suicide concerns that could precede suicide attempts.
- 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.
- The effectiveness of schema therapy in individuals who committed crimes: A systematic reviewPublication . Sousa, Marta; Gouveia, Cláudia; Cunha, Olga; Castro Rodrigues, Andreia deResearch suggests that individuals who commit crimes often exhibit various early maladaptive schemas (EMSs). EMSs are a broad and pervasive theme or pattern consisting of memories, emotions, cognitions, and bodily sensations concerning oneself and one’s relationships with others. Furthermore, EMSs play a crucial role in the onset and maintenance of different types of offending behaviors, highlighting the need to implement schema therapy (ST) for perpetrators. Therefore, the present systematic review assesses the effectiveness of ST for individuals who committed crimes. Four databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Scielo) were searched for studies examining the effectiveness of ST for individuals who committed crimes. Seventeen studies were identified, but only 15 met the criteria for inclusion. Results showed that ST can lead to beneficial effects in EMSs, schema modes, personality symptoms, and risk factors to commit crimes (e.g., cognitive distortions). However, the studies, besides being scarce, revealed some methodological limitations. ST is a promising therapy for individuals who committed crimes, despite the studies’ methodological shortcomings, which prevent us from drawing more firm conclusions. Although promising, more research is needed to enhance our understanding of the impact of ST therapies in forensic settings.
- The validity of the Violence Risk Scale (VRS) in a Portuguese sample of remand prisonersPublication . Andrade, Joana; Gomes, Hugo S.; Abrunhosa Gonçalves, Rui; Wong, Stephen; Castro Rodrigues, Andreia deThis study aims to test the psychometric properties of the Violent Risk Scale (VRS) in a sample of Portuguese remand prisoners. A total of 133 subjects participated in the present study. We carried out a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to test the originally proposed two factor structure. Results showed evidence to support the VRS's psychometric qualities.The CFA tested the two-factor structure and showed evidence of the goodness of fit of the original two-factor model. Also, our findings indicated acceptable internal consistency for both sub scales. The correlational analyses supported both convergent and discriminant validity of the VRS. Finally, this study also tested known-groups validity. The VRS score showed a satisfactory postdictive accuracy, which means that it is able to demonstrate distinctive scores for groups known to vary on the variables being measured. We consider this work represents an essential support for decision-makers to evaluate the appropriateness of different judicial measures.
- Dropout among perpetrators of intimate partner violence attending an intervention programPublication . Cunha, Olga; Silva, Andreia; Cruz, Ana Rita; Castro Rodrigues, Andreia de; Braga, Teresa; Gonçalves, Rui AbrunhosaBatterer intervention programs (BIPs) are some of the most relevant strategies to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV). However, the rate of dropout is significantly high, which may impact the effectiveness of such strategies. Literature has identified several factors associated with BIPs’ dropout; nonetheless findings remain inconsistent. Thus, the aims of this study were to analyse the differences between perpetrators who completed the program and those who droped out, in terms of sociodemographic, violence-related and intrapersonal variables, as well as identify the predictors of dropout. Eighty-three IPV perpetrators completed a set of measures that assessed attitudes toward domestic violence, physical and psychological abuse of a partner, aggression, coping skills, and readiness to change. Variables related to past criminal history and sociodemographics were also colletected. 42.2% of IPV perpetrators failed to complete the intervention program. The results revealed that age and previous convictions by other crimes than IPV discriminated perpetrators who completed the program from those who droped out, such that, being young and having a previous conviction predicted dropout. These findings reveal a need to further analyse the impact of these factors so BIPs can be tailored to meet the specificities of IPV perpetrators and prevent treatment dropout.
- In or out: Justice-involved women characterization and their perceptions about penal sanctions.Publication . Castro Rodrigues, Andreia de; Andrade, Joana; Gonçalves, Rui Abrunhosa; Cruz, Ana Rita; Cunha, OlgaWomen incarceration rates in Portugal are rising, nevertheless, noncustodial sanctions should be chosen, whenever possible. This paper aims to understand which women are being sentenced to noncustodial sanctions and which are not, and what they think about their penalty, considering that the penalties’ effectiveness is linked to how they are experienced. A self-report questionnaire was administered to 152 Portuguese women serving custodial and non-custodial sentences. Results demonstrated that women were not spared from prison, regardless of their parental and marital situation and whether or not this was their first penalty or if it was a nonviolent crime conviction. The women generally considered their sentences to be unfair, and rehabilitation was not considered the purpose guiding judges’ sentencing decisions. Implications for the rehabilitation of justice-involved women are discussed since these perceptions might compromise their adherence to the penalties and minimize its effectiveness.
- Social and emotional competencies in Portuguese incarcerated males: psychometric properties of the SEC-Q questionnaire and their relation to health risk behaviorsPublication . Basto-Pereira, Miguel; ZYCH, IZABELA; Almeida, Telma Sousa; Castro Rodrigues, Andreia de; Lobo, Rita; Brandão, TâniaABSTRACT: This study departs from the acknowledged absence of validated measures to assess social and emotional competencies in incarcerated individuals. This is a critical gap given that most available programs aimed at fostering prosocial behavior and reducing antisocial behaviors are theoretically based on enhancing these competencies. This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Social and Emotional Competencies Questionnaire (SEC-Q) in a sample of 219 Portuguese incarcerated males (M age = 37.21 years, SD = 10.61), and to explore the impact of the SEC-Q dimensions on health risk behaviors in this population. The study used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine the factor structure of the SEC-Q. The four-factor model fitted well to the data (SB χ2 = 267.75; df = 120; Robust CFI = 0.99; Robust RMSEA = 0.06), and, as expected, it includes four dimensions: self-awareness, self-management and motivation, social awareness and prosocial behavior, and decision-making. The four dimensions showed appropriate internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 74–81; McDonald’s omega = 75–82). Additionally, social and emotional competencies were related to higher self-control (rs=0.45, p <.01) and lower health risk behaviors (rs = − 0.25, p <.01), supporting convergent and divergent validity. Findings from the negative binomial regression suggest that higher social awareness and prosocial behavior is related to less health risk behaviors among incarcerated males. This study is a pivotal step to promote an affordable and valid measure to assess social and emotional competencies among Portuguese justice-involved males. SEC-Q can be an important complementary measure for evaluating the effectiveness of interventions aimed at preventing criminal recidivism.
- 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
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