The association between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and executive functioning.

Introduction: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a condition characterised by several disturbances in an individual's executive functioning. We were interested in the link between executive functions and the presence of anxiety and depression in a clinical population with post-traumatic stress disorder.Methods: Our sample comprised 180 participants divided into three groups: 60 with PTSD, 60 trauma-exposed without PTSD, and 60 controls. All participants were assessed on the following dimensions: PTSD, dissociation, executive functions, anxiety, and depression.Results: Consistent with the literature, the results of our study suggest that individuals with PTSD have difficulties in executive functioning. These disturbances are related to levels of anxiety and depression.Conclusion: The severity of PTSD is positively correlated with executive function disturbances, but the observed disturbances, especially in working memory updating, can be explained mainly by the high level of depression, rather than by PTSD alone.

The effect on judgment of attributing religious affiliation to a terrorist suspect.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects and correlations of the perceived religious affiliation on a fictitious terrorism case. Participants were 402 French adults who completed a questionnaire after reading a scenario involving the arrest of a person (French vs. North African; man vs. woman) wearing an explosive belt. They indicated the level of the perpetrator's religious affiliation and judged her/him and the act. The participants' level of social dominance orientation (SDO) was measured and studied along in its two dimensions. The results showed an effect of ethnicity on perceived religious affiliation, which was correlated with judgment and mediated the effect of social dominance on judgment. The implications of this study are discussed in terms of intergroup interactions and religious prejudice.

Cognitive impairment, self-perceived health and quality of life of older prisoners.

BACKGROUND: There is a wealth of studies of somatic and mental illness among prisoners, but little on older prisoners and their cognitive aging. AIMS: Our study examines the cognitive performance of older male prisoners and its effect on their perceived health and quality of life. METHODS: A total of 138 men aged 50 or over were recruited in seven French prisons and 138 men of similar ages from the general population. Two assessments of executive cognitive functions - the mini-mental state examination and the frontal assessment battery - were administered to each participant, together with self rating schedules of health (Nottingham Health Profile), subjective state of mental health and quality of life (the brief World Health Organisation Quality of Life Questionnaire). RESULTS: There were very significant differences between the two groups in terms of cognitive performance, perceived health and quality of life. There was, however, no significant association between cognitive impairment and perceived health or quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: We found evidence that about a fifth of male prisoners in France had executive function test scores suggestive of at least moderately severe dementia and many others some evidence of cognitive impairments. Prisoners suffering from cognitive impairment do not necessarily seek help, perhaps not even considering that their health or quality of life to be affected. Communication deficits may also prevent their participation in prison activities which could prevent, slow or halt cognitive decline. Consequently, it is important that systematic screening for cognitive disorders is offered to men over 50 in prison. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Emotion regulation and executive functioning in female victims of sexual assault suffering from PTSD.

The sexual abuse of women has major repercussions on several spheres of the victims' daily lives and can lead to the development of PTSD. We were interested in the existence of a specific profile of alterations in cognitive functioning in female victims of sexual violence with PTSD. A sample of 101 women was divided into three groups (44 sexually abused women with PTSD; 25 sexually abused women without PTSD; 32 non-sexually abused non-PTSD controls). Participants completed questionnaires about psycho-traumatic symptoms, emotion regulation and executive functions. The results show that the PTSD group uses more maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies. In addition, overall executive functions were poorer in the PTSD group. Moreover, sexual assault, exposed with or without PTSD, is associated with deficits in executive functions, particularly inhibition. We also found positive correlations between executive difficulties and the use of non-adaptive emotion regulation strategies. These results suggest that there may be individual differences in the alterations in cognitive functioning following sexual assault.

Maladaptive cognitions and emotion regulation in posttraumatic stress disorder.

PURPOSE: The present study investigated the interactions between emotion regulation strategies and cognitive distortions in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We also examined differences in emotion regulation and cognitive distortions across the trauma spectrum. METHODS: The study was conducted in France between December 2019 and August 2020 and was approved by the university ethics committee. We recruited 180 participants aged over 18, with 3 groups of 60 each: (1) patients diagnosed with PTSD, (2) trauma-exposed without PTSD, (3) no history of trauma. Exclusion criteria were a history of neurological or mental disorders, psychoactive substance abuse, and a history of physical injury that could affect outcomes. All participants completed the Life Events Checklist­5 (LEC-5), Post-traumatic Check List­5 (PCL-5), Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), and Cognitive Distortions scale for Adults (EDC-A). Correlation analysis was performed to observe the relationship between PTSD severity and cognitive functioning. Correlations between cognitive distortions and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies were calculated for the PTSD group. A moderation analysis of the whole sample was conducted to examine the relationship between cognitive distortions, emotion regulation strategies, and PTSD. RESULTS: Participants with PTSD scored significantly higher on the PCL­5 and for dissociation than the other groups. PCL­5 scores were positively correlated with maladaptive emotion regulation strategies and acceptance. They were also correlated with positive and negative dichotomous reasoning and negative minimization. Analysis of the PTSD group revealed correlations between maladaptive emotion regulation strategies and negative cognitive distortions. The moderation analysis revealed the cognitive distortions explaining the relationship between emotion regulation strategies and trauma exposure overall, and how they exacerbate emotional problems in PTSD. CONCLUSION: The study provides indications for management of PTSD patients. Inclusion of an intermediate group of individuals exposed to trauma without PTSD revealed differences in the observed alterations. It would be interesting to extend the cross-sectional observation design to study traumatic events that may cause a specific type of disorder.

The Role of Anxiety and Depression in the Emotion Regulation Strategies of People Suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Researchers have explored the links between cognitive emotion regulation, impaired cognitive functioning, and anxiety-depression, including the link to anxiety and depression levels. However, very few studies have examined these dimensions in clinical populations with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A sample of 183 participants was divided into three groups: 59 trauma-exposed with PTSD, 61 trauma-exposed without PTSD, and 63 non-trauma-exposed non-PTSD (controls). All participants were assessed on the following dimensions: PTSD (PCL-5), cognitive emotion regulation (CERQ), anxiety and depression (HADS). Results indicate a specific profile of emotion regulation associated with PTSD. Compared to other groups, participants with PTSD showed more difficulty managing their emotions, with more rumination, self-blame, and catastrophizing. Moreover, these difficulties were also correlated with levels of anxiety and depression, that is, participants with PTSD who had higher anxiety and depression scores used more maladaptive strategies. The PTSD group used significantly more maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies than the other groups, with distinct profiles related to anxiety and depressive symptomatology.

Psychological and sociological factors influencing police officers' decisions to use force: A systematic literature review.

AIM: Police action is frequently discussed and almost always monitored. The aim of this systematic review is to identify the psychological and social factors underlying police officers' decisions to use force. METHODOLOGY: Scientific articles were selected from six databases (PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, HeinOnline, ScienceDirect, PubMed). RESULTS: We found 923 articles matching our search, and 52 were retained based on their results regarding the psychological factors underlying police officers' decisions to use force and the decision-making process itself. We found that the most frequently studied factors were belonging to an ethnic minority, carrying a conducted energy device (CED), the police department's policies and managerial organization, and the environment in which the encounter occurred. However, it seems that the most predictive factor in the decision to use force is the resistance and behavior of the suspect.

Frequency and origin (reactive/proactive) of aggressive behavior in young people with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: The aim was to investigate the aggressive behavior of young people in specialized institutions with intellectual disability (ID) with or without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHOD: Data on 305 institutionalized young people were collected using two aggression scales, the 'Children's Scale of Hostility and Aggression: Reactive/Proactive', and the 'Behavior Problems Inventory - Short Form'. FINDINGS: Our results show that the behavioral manifestations differ between the clinical groups (ID/ID with ASD). In addition, they reveal a decrease in all aggressive and stereotyped behaviors at 16 years in participants with ID but not in those with the dual diagnosis (ID and ASD). There would be an increase in self-injury with age in people with ID and ASD. Finally, the aggressive behaviors (verbal, relational, bullying) of people with only ID are significantly more proactive than reactive.

Effect of age, time spent in prison and level of education on the perceived health and quality of life of elderly prisoners.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to assess the level of perceived health and quality of life of elderly prisoners in France, and to see whether there is a link between aging, time spent in prison and level of education and scores for perceived health and quality of life. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The authors' recruited 138 male prisoners aged 50 and over in seven French prisons. The research protocol comprised a semi-structured interview and two scales. FINDINGS: The results revealed low levels of perceived health and quality of life among the elderly inmates. They also showed that age was not statistically associated with most of the dimensions of perceived health on the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), with the exception of poor mobility. By contrast, age was statistically associated with most of the dimensions of quality of life on the WHOQOL-Bref. Time spent in prison was only associated negatively with the "sleep" dimension of the NHP. Emotional reactions were perceived most positively by the inmates with the highest level of education. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: It seems particularly important to assess the perceived health and quality of life of elderly prisoners in order to ensure their appropriate treatment and management. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Very few studies have examined the perceived health and quality of life of prisoners, even though this population is particularly vulnerable in terms of physical and mental health.

[Evolution of evaluation and prevention services provided for targeting psychosocial occupational risks]. / Evolution de l'offre de service en matière d'évaluation et de prévention des risques psychosociaux au travail.

A new set of occupational risks has emerged with the evolution of work's organization: psychosocial risks. They are at the origin of various professional pathologies (stress, anxiety, burn-out syndrome, et cetera). Based on the authors' experience as consultants in the prevention of occupational risks, they bear witness to the evolution of the availability of services in evaluation and prevention of psychosocial risks. The authors emphasize the necessity of adopting a continuous and flexible evaluation approach in order to select the most effective prevention strategies.

Psychological assistance to victims throughout difficult trials.

In France, only very recently have victims begun to be assisted throughout "difficult" trials. We have developed different hypotheses to think over the function of psychologists when they step in to help out victims of criminal offences. Moreover, we have developed an argument for the need to set up units of medical and psychological assistance for certain difficult trials. Among other topics, we discuss the victims' expectations for psychic and/or affective reconstruction during trials. We suggest that penal trials can "potentially" heal victims, but more often than not they are "potentially" traumatic. We support our arguments with clinical examples that come from our personal experience of providing psychological assistance to victims.

Mental disorders, perceived health and quality of life of older prisoners in France.

People serving prison sentences have major needs in terms of their physical and mental health. However, little is known about the prevalence of mental disorders affecting older prisoners and about how they evaluate their state of health and their quality of life. The aim of our study is to identify whether there is a link between mental disorders and the level of perceived health and quality of life of older prisoners. For the group 1, we recruited 138 male prisoners aged 50 and over in 7 French prisons. The control group was composed of 138 community-dwelling men aged 50 and over. The research protocol comprised four scales (The mini international neuropsychiatric interview, The French version of the Nottingham health profile, The scale of the subjective state of mental health, The WHOQOL-BREF). The results reveal a very high prevalence of mental disorders among older prisoners, notably depression and anxiety. The evaluation of perceived health and quality of life is also significantly lower in the group of older prisoners. We discuss the link between having one or more mental disorders and a negative evaluation of perceived health and quality of life.

Forensic mental health assessment in France: recommendations for quality improvement.

The quality of forensic mental health assessment has been a growing concern in various countries on both sides of the Atlantic, but the legal systems are not always comparable and some aspects of forensic assessment are specific to a given country. This paper describes the legal context of forensic psychological assessment in France (i.e. pre-trial investigation phase entrusted to a judge, with mental health assessment performed by preselected professionals called "experts" in French), its advantages and its pitfalls. Forensic psychiatric or psychological assessment is often an essential and decisive element in criminal cases, but since a judiciary scandal which was made public in 2005 (the Outreau case) there has been increasing criticism from the public and the legal profession regarding the reliability of clinical conclusions. Several academic studies and a parliamentary report have highlighted various faulty aspects in both the judiciary process and the mental health assessments. The heterogeneity of expert practices in France appears to be mainly related to a lack of consensus on several core notions such as mental health diagnosis or assessment methods, poor working conditions, lack of specialized training, and insufficient familiarity with the Code of Ethics. In this article we describe and analyze the French practice of forensic psychologists and psychiatrists in criminal cases and propose steps that could be taken to improve its quality, such as setting up specialized training courses, enforcing the Code of Ethics for psychologists, and calling for consensus on diagnostic and assessment methods.

Study of the correlation between psychiatric and psychological diagnoses in sample offenders.

This study deals with the frequency with which expert psychiatrists and psychologists make structural or nosographic diagnoses within the context of expert assessment. Thus, the rates of concordance between psychiatrists and psychologists in both types of diagnoses will be assessed. To do so, the level of inter-observer agreement on diagnoses between 1990 and 2003 was studied retrospectively in France through psychiatric and psychological assessments of 505 male offenders. The assessment of the correlation rates was carried out using the Kappa coefficient. The results show a range of 0.55 to 0.71 in inter-observer (psychiatrists vs psychologists) agreement for structural diagnoses, and 0.51 to 0.89 for nosographic diagnoses. In addition, a marked correlation between psychiatrists and psychologists may be noted regarding abstention in both structural (k=66) and nosographic (k=73) diagnoses. In fact, recommendations are made for improvement in the consistency of offender assessment in the psycho-legal French context.