Diferencias de personalidad entre adolescentes infractores en Brasil y España evaluadas con el Jesness Inventory Revised / Personality differences between Brazilian and Spanish adolescent’ offenders, assessed with the Jesness Inventory Revised

En delincuencia juvenil, algunos aspectos de la personalidad tienen un peso importante en la probabilidad de realizar conductas antisociales. Poresto, integrarlos al trabajo con esta población permite hacer las intervenciones más sensibles a las características de los jóvenes y, por ello, másefectivas. Como las estructuras de muchos sistemas de atención de la delincuencia juvenil tienen objetivos socioeducativos semejantes, los estudiostransculturales/comparativos son pertinentes para explorar este problema. El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar grupos de adolescentes de Brasily España, infractores y no infractores, con respecto a aspectos de personalidad. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 210 adolescentes varones con unaedad media de 17.7 años. Estos jóvenes respondieron al Jesness Inventory – Revised (JI-R), una herramienta que mide el funcionamiento psicológicoen el contexto de justicia juvenil. Las puntuaciones directas en el JI-R fueron comparadas por análisis de varianza (ANOVA) y el tamaño de efecto fuecalculado con la d de Cohen. Los resultados muestran que, entre los grupos de infractores, la muestra de adolescentes brasileños presenta nivelesmás elevados en Valores Subculturales y Ansiedad Social. Como se hipotetizaba, los grupos de infractores no son tan distintos entre sí, en especial alo que se refiere a la orientación antisocial, lo que suma evidencia a que adolescentes que se desarrollan en culturas distintas comparten variables depersonalidad asociadas al comportamiento delictivo. (AU)

In juvenile delinquency, some aspects of the personality have an important role in the probability of engagement in antisocial behaviors. For this reason, integrating themto the work with this population makes it possible to propose interventions more sensitive to the characteristics of young people and, therefore,more effective. As the structures of many juvenile delinquency care systems have similar socio-educational objectives, cross-cultural / comparativestudies are pertinent to explore this problem. The aim of this study was to compare groups of adolescents from Brazil and Spain, offenders andnon-offenders, regarding aspects of personality. The sample consisted of 210 male adolescents, with a mean age of 17.7 years. These young peopleresponded to the Jesness Inventory - Revised (JI-R), a tool that measures psychological functioning in the context of juvenile justice. The raw scoreson the JI-R were compared by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the effect size was calculated with Cohen’s d. The results show that, among thegroups of offenders, the sample of Brazilian adolescents presents higher levels in Value Orientation and Social Anxiety. As hypothesized, the groupsof offenders are not so different from each other, especially with regard to antisocial orientation, which adds evidence that adolescents who grow upin different cultures share personality variables associated with criminal behavior. (AU)

Cronicidad, violencia y longitud de trayectoria criminal. Hombres detenidos por violencia doméstica / Chronicity, violence and criminal trajectory length. Men arrested for domestic violence

Resumen Los delincuentes crónicos resultan ser los responsables de la mayor parte de la actividad criminal, además de ser los más persistentes y violentos. Existe escasa evidencia longitudinal que permita conocer cómo se manifiesta la cronicidad en agresores de violencia doméstica. El objetivo de esta investigación es identificar el criterio más adecuado para diferenciar a los hombres crónicos y establecer la relación que existe entre cronicidad, violencia, versatilidad y duración de la carrera criminal en 10 505 hombres chilenos detenidos por delitos de violencia en el ámbito familiar en el 2007, con base en todas las nuevas detenciones producidas los siguientes diez años. El diseño es longitudinal pseudoprospectivo, tal como si correspondiera a un estudio longitudinal prospectivo. Los resultados muestran que tres o más delitos bastan para identificar adecuadamente carreras criminales crónicas, y que un 12.7% del total de hombres pueden considerarse graves, violentos y crónicos, al presentar una trayectoria criminal de entre ocho y diez años, ser responsables de más del 37% del total de las reincidencias, alcanzar un promedio de delitos significativamente alto y versátiles, así como una elevada prevalencia en delitos violentos.

Abstract Chronical criminals turn out to be responsible of most of the criminal activity, in addition to being the most persistent and violent. There exists limited longitudinal evidence that allows knowing how chronicity manifests itself in domestic violence aggressors. The objective of this investigation is to identify the most appropriate criteria to differentiate chronic men and establish the relationship between chronicity, violence and duration of the criminal career in 10 505 Chilean men arrested for domestic violence crimes in 2007, based on all new arrests produced the next 10 years. The design is a longitudinal pseudo-prospective, as if it corresponded to a prospective longitudinal study. The results show that three or more crimes are enough to properly identify chronic criminal careers, and that 12.7% of all men can be considered as serious, violent and chronic, presenting a criminal trajectory between eight and ten years, being responsible for more than 37% of total recidivism, reach a significantly high average of crimes and high prevalence of violent crimes.

The Meaning of Aggression Varies Across Culture: Testing the Measurement Invariance of the Refined Aggression Questionnaire in Samples From Spain, the United States, and Hong Kong.

Cultural differences in aggression are still poorly understood. The purpose of this article is to assess whether a tool for measuring aggression has the same meaning across cultures. Analyzing samples from Spain (n = 262), the United States (n = 344), and Hong Kong (n = 645), we used confirmatory factor analysis to investigate measurement invariance of the refined version of the Aggression Questionnaire (Bryant & Smith, 2001 ). The measurement of aggression was more equivalent between the Chinese and Spanish versions than between these two and the U.S. version. Aggression does not show invariance at the cultural level. Cultural variables such as affective autonomy or individualism could influence the meaning of aggression. Aggressive behavior models can be improved by incorporating cultural variables.

Trayectoria y reincidencia criminal / Trajectory and criminal recidivism / Trajetória e reincidência criminal

Resumen Las diferentes trayectorias criminales son el resultado de los cambios que se van produciendo en una persona a lo largo de toda su vida. Estas variaciones son observables a través de la forma que adquieren las curvas de la relación entre edad y delito. El objetivo de esta investigación es verificar cómo los cambios a través del desarrollo de la vida influyen en el cómo y cuándo se manifiesta el comportamiento criminal. Las trayectorias criminales fueron identificadas con base en la información delictual retrospectiva obtenida mediante entrevistas y autoinformes, en un grupo de 168 internos del Centro Penitenciario de Jóvenes de Cataluña, de entre 18 y 24 años. La curva general reproduce la forma tradicional de la relación entre edad y delito. Se identificaron ocho tipos diferentes de trayectorias, cada una de las cuales representa un tipo distinto de delincuente. Tales diferencias no solo involucran magnitud (cantidad de delitos), sino cómo estos delitos se presentan, o no, a través de diferentes momentos de la vida de las personas, confirmándose los postulados de la Criminología del Desarrollo y del Curso de la Vida.

Abstract The different criminal trajectories are the result of the changes that occur in a person throughout his life. These deviations are observable through the shape that curves have got with regard to age-crime relationship. The objective of this research is to verify in what way the changes through the life development impact on how and when the criminal behavior is revealed. The criminal trajectories were identified according to the retrospective tort information obtained by interviews and self-reports in a group of 168 prisoners between 18 and 24 years old at the Centro Penitenciario de Jóvenes de Cataluña (Penitentiary Center for Young People in Cataluña). The general curve reproduces the traditional way of the relationship between age and crime. Eight different types of trajectories were identified. Each trajectory represents a different type of criminal. These differences involve not only magnitude (amount of crimes), but also the mode these crimes are presented, or not, through the different moments of the people's lives, ratifying the tenets of Criminology and Development and the Life-Course.

Resumo As diferentes trajetórias criminais são o resultado das mudanças que se vão produzindo em uma pessoa ao longo da sua vida. Essas variações são observáveis por meio da forma que tomam as curvas da relação entre idade e delito. O objetivo de esta pesquisa é verificar como as mudanças no desenvolvimento da vida influem no como e quando se manifesta o comportamento criminal. As trajetórias criminais foram identificadas com base na informação delitiva retrospectiva obtida mediante entrevistas e autorelatórios, em um grupo de 168 internos do Centro Penitencial de Jovens da Catalunha, de entre 18 e 24 anos. A curva geral reproduz a forma tradicional da relação entre idade e delito. Identificaram-se oito tipos diferentes de trajetórias, cada uma das quais representa um tipo distinto de delinquente. Tais diferenças não só envolvem magnitude (quantidade de delitos), mas também como esses delitos se apresentam, ou não, por meio de diferentes momentos da vida das pessoas, confirmando-se os postulados da Criminologia do Desenvolvimento e do Curso da Vida.

Risk factors of female intimate partner and non-intimate partner homicides / Factores de riesgo en homicidas de mujeres con y sin relación de pareja

The most alarming type of intimate partner violence is homicide. Violence risk assessment of intimate partner violent offenders is a common topic in police and prison contexts with the aim of preventing recidivism and fatal results. The purpose of this study was to analyze whether men who kill their intimate partner (intimate partner homicide - IPH) present different risk factors from those who kill women outside of a relationship (non-intimate partner homicide - nonIPH). The crime characteristics of 30 attempted or completed IPHs that were sentenced in Catalonia (Spain) between 2004 and 2009 are described. Moreover, the risk factors of 21 completed IPHs and 20 non-IPHs were compared using the RisCanvi, an actuarial risk assessment tool used in the Catalan prison context to manage inmates. Results show differences between the two types of offenders in the criminal role and recklessness, more prevalent among non-IPHs, which is consistent with research indicating that IPH offenders are similar to other homicide offenders. The difficulties faced seeking to assess and manage the risk of IPH are discussed

La forma más alarmante de violencia de pareja es el homicidio. La evaluación del riesgo en agresores de pareja es algo habitual en contextos policiales y penitenciarios con el objetivo de prevenir la reincidencia y los desenlaces mortales. El objetivo del estudio fue analizar si los hombres que matan a su pareja (homicidio de pareja - HP) presentan factores de riesgo diferentes a los de aquellos que matan a una mujer con la que no mantienen relación de pareja (no homicidio de pareja - no-HP). Se describen las características delictivas de 30 homicidios de pareja consumados o intentados que han recibido sentencia en Cataluña (España) entre 2004 y 2009. Además, se compararon los factores de riesgo en los 21 HP consumados y una muestra de 20 no-HP utilizando el RisCanvi, un instrumento actuarial utilizado en las prisiones de Cataluña en la gestión de los internos. Los resultados solo mostraron diferencias en el rol delictivo y en temeridad, más prevalentes en los no-HP, en consonancia con la investigación que señala que los HP son similares a otros homicidas. Se discute la implicación de estos resultados en la valoración y gestión del riesgo en estos casos de violencia de pareja

Victimización en la pareja como factor de riesgo en mujeres en prisión / Victimization in the couple as a risk factor in women in prison / Vitimização no casal como fator do risco nas mulheres na prisão

Resumen Introducción: la presencia de victimización por violencia contra la pareja (VCP) en mujeres condenadas a prisión parece ser un importante factor de riesgo para la criminalidad, la continuidad delictiva y la desadaptación social. Objetivo: en este trabajo se ha querido comparar la presencia de distintos factores de riesgo criminógenos en un grupo de mujeres internas en centros penitenciarios de Cataluña (España), comparando las que habían sido o no víctimas de VCP. Método: se analizaron 98 internas que cumplían condena de prisión por distintos tipos delictivos, evaluadas entre los años 2010 y 2012 con la herramienta para evaluar el riesgo RisCanvi. Resultados: la prevalencia de la victimización por VCP fue del 23%. El 63% presentaba problemas de empleo, el 53% contaba con expedientes penitenciarios, el 61% tenía problemas de socialización y/o crianza y el 55% mostró problemas de impulsividad y/o inestabilidad emocional. Las mujeres que habían sufrido violencia en la pareja presentaron significativamente más factores de riesgo clínicos y de personalidad y, en conjunto, más necesidades desde el punto de vista del tratamiento y la gestión del riesgo. Conclusiones: la victimización agrava el perfil de riesgo en mujeres presas. Se discuten las implicaciones de los resultados para la prevención y el tratamiento en el ámbito de la delincuencia femenina.

Abstract Introduction: the presence of victimization by violence against spouse, partner or companion sentenced to imprisonment seems to be an important risk factor for crime, criminal continuity and social maladjustment. Objective : this work is intended to compare the presence of different criminogenic risk factors in a group of women held in prisons in Catalonia (Spain) by contrasting those who had been VCP ("Violencia Contra la Pareja") victims or not. Method : 98 inmates having served prison terms for different types of crime were analyzed and evaluated between 2010 and 2012 with the use of the RisCanvi risk assessment tool. Results : the prevalence of VCP victimization was 23%. 63% had employment problems, 53% had prison records, 61% had socialization and/or upbringing problems, and 55% showed behavioral disorders like impulsivity and/or emotional instability. Women who had suffered partner violence had significantly more clinical and personality risk factors and, on the whole, more needs from the point of view of treatment and risk management. Conclusions : victimization aggravates risk profiles among female inmates. Results implications for both prevention and treatment in the field of female delinquency are discussed.

Resumo Introdução: a presença da vitimização pela violência contra o casal nas mulheres condenadas a prisão parece ser um fator importante do risco para a criminalidade, a continuidade criminal e a inadaptação social. Objetivo: neste trabalho o fim era comparar a presença de diferentes fatores do risco que contribuem ao crime em um grupo de mulheres internas nos centros penitenciários de Catalunha (Espanha), comparando aqueles que tinham sido ou não vítimas de VCP. Método: 98 internas que cumpriram a sentença da prisão pelos diferentes tipos delitivos foram analisadas, avaliadas entre os anos 2010 e 2012 com a ferramenta para avaliar o risco de RisCanvi. Resultados: a prevalência da vitimização por VCP foi de 23%. 63% apresentou problemas de emprego, 53% contava com registros penitenciários, 61% teve problemas da socialização e educação no lar e 55% mostrou problemas de impulsividade e/ou da instabilidade emocional. As mulheres que tinham sofrido à violência no casal apresentaram significativamente mais fatores do risco clínico e da personalidade e, em conjunto, mais necessidades do ponto da vista do tratamento e a gestão do risco. Conclusões: a vitimização agrava o perfil do risco em mulheres presas. As implicações dos resultados da prevenção e o tratamento no âmbito da delinquência feminina são discutidas.

Tests personológicos y clínicos en español para evaluar adolescentes infractores / Personality and clinical tests in Spanish for assessing juvenile offenders

La evaluación psicológica de los adolescentes infractores es imprescindible en su recorrido por los servicios de justicia juvenil. Gracias a esta evaluación se garantiza la exigencia legal y la eficiencia de las medidas judiciales y educativas que se prescriben en estos servicios. En el presente artículo, el primero de una serie de dos, se revisan las principales pruebas de evaluación psicológica en español disponibles para profesionales de la psicología que trabajan con adolescentes infractores de los países hispanohablantes. Clasificaremos estas herramientas en tres grupos: a) Personológicas adecuadas para cualquier contexto profesional de la Psicología, b) Clínicas, cuya utilidad inicial se circunscribe al trabajo con adolescentes que presentan necesidades de salud mental y c) Forenses, aquellas desarrolladas especialmente para su uso en adolescentes atendidos en los servicios penales. Los instrumentos forenses se describen en la segunda parte de este artículo (Wenger & Andres-Pueyo, 2016 b) (en este mismo número de la revista). Para cada apartado se presentan y revisan los instrumentos más importantes y de utilidad contrastada

The psychological assessment of offenders is the core of professional activity throughout the juvenile justice system. It ensures the adequacy of the legal and educational measures to be applied in the process. This paper reviews the main tests for psychological assessment available in Spanish, suitable for use by psychology professionals who work with young offenders in the juvenile justice services in Spanish-speaking countries. We classify these tools into three groups: a) Personological, i.e. generic tests, suitable for any professional context in psychology, b) Clinical, i.e. tests whose initial use has been limited to working with adolescents with mental health needs, and c) Forensic, tools that have been specially developed for use in the juvenile justice population. This last group is described in the second part of this article (Wenger & Andres-Pueyo, 2016 b) (which appears in this same issue). The most important instruments of proven utility are presented and reviewed for each group

Tests forenses en español para evaluar adolescentes infractores / Forensic tests in Spanish for assessing juvenile offenders

Conocer de forma objetiva y rigurosa las características psicológicas individuales del adolescente infractor, tales como la inteligencia, los rasgos de personalidad así como otras de naturaleza clínica y criminológica, son fundamentales para la aplicación de las medidas judiciales y educativas propias del contexto de la justicia juvenil. Las herramientas de tipo Personológicas y Clínicas, descritas en el artículo anterior (Wenger y Andrés-Pueyo, 2016), no son suficientes para atender a las necesidades criminogénicas de los adolescentes y es preciso utilizar otras mucho más específicas. En el presente artículo se presentan una serie de instrumentos complementarios, desarrollados especialmente para el ámbito forense, que permiten realizar evaluaciones muy específicas, como por ejemplo, la valoración de riesgo de violencia o la evaluación de la psicopatía. A continuación se describen las pruebas y test psicológicos de tipo forense disponibles en español para profesionales del ámbito de la justicia juvenil

Objectively and rigorously assessment of the individual psychological characteristics of adolescent offenders, such as intelligence, personality traits and clinical and criminological ones, is essential in the intervention processes like educational and judicial measures in the juvenile justice system. However, the clinical and personological tools described in the previous article (Wenger & Andrés-Pueyo, 2016) are not enough to address the criminogenic needs of the adolescents and more specific tools are needed. In this paper, a number of complementary instruments developed specifically for the forensic area are reviewed. These tools enable us to carry out very specific assessments in this context, such as the evaluation of the risk of violence and the assessment of psychopathy. A review is also presented of the forensic psychological tests available in Spanish for professionals settings of juvenile justice

Eficacia predictiva de la valoración policial del riesgo de la violencia de género / Predictive effectiveness of the police risk assessment in intimate partner violence

Para prevenir la violencia de género se desarrolló el protocolo denominado «valoración policial del riesgo» (VPR) para su uso por profesionales de las fuerzas de seguridad del Estado. Este protocolo es el núcleo principal del sistema VioGén, del Ministerio del Interior español, y que se aplica de forma reglamentaria en todas las situaciones de violencia de género denunciadas. Para evaluar la eficacia predictiva de la VPR se realizó un estudio longitudinal prospectivo con un seguimiento de 3 y 6 meses de 407 mujeres que habían denunciado ser víctimas de violencia por parte de su pareja o expareja. Los resultados obtenidos por medio del análisis de regresión logística ofrecen una AUC = 0.71 para intervalos de tiempo en riesgo de 3 meses (p < .003) y con una odds ratio de 6.58 (IC 95%: 1.899-22.835). La sensibilidad de la VPR fue del 85% y la especificidad, del 53.7%. Los resultados indican que la VPR muestra una buena capacidad predictiva y unas características psicométricas adecuadas para la tarea para la que se diseñó

To prevent gender violence it was developed the protocol called Police Risk Assessment (VPR) for use by professionals of the State Security Forces. This protocol is the core of VioGen System of the Spanish Interior Ministry and which applies to regulation in all reported gender violence situations. To assess the predictive effectiveness of the VPR, a prospective longitudinal study was performed followed for 3 and 6 months of 407 women who reported being victims of violence from their partner or former partner. The results obtained by logistic regression analysis provide an AUC = 0.71 for time intervals at risk for three months (P < .003), with an odds ratio of 6.58 (95% CI: 1.899-22.835). VPR sensitivity was 85% and specificity was 53.7%. The results indicate that the VPR shows good predictive ability and suitable psychometric characteristics for the task for which it was designed

The Spanish version of the Criminal Sentiment Scale Modified (CSS-M): factor structure, reliability, and validity / Versión española de la Criminal Sentiment Scale Modified (CSS-M): estructura factorial, fiabilidad y validez

The purpose of this study was to translate and validate the Criminal Sentiment Scale Modified (CSS-M), which measures the criminal attitudes into Spanish. Despite the large body of research proving their importance as one of the best predictors of criminal conduct, only a few measures have been psychometrically developed and validated, and none of them are available in the Spanish language. A sample of 153 male inmates from Penitentiary Brians I of the Catalan Prison Service (Spain) participated voluntarily in the study (73.9% of Spanish nationality, mean age = 37.3) completed the final version of the Spanish adaptation. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted with all the scales simultaneously, showing that the underlying structure of the CSS-M was best explained by a two-factor solution: Sentiments toward the establishment and Criminality self-benefits. Moreover, a set of analyses of variance (ANOVA) was also performed, validating the scale well. According to the results of the study, it was concluded that the Spanish version of the CSS-M has satisfactory psychometric properties, enabling its potential usefulness within the legal field of Spanish-speaking countries as a key element in crime prevention (AU)

El propósito de este estudio fue traducir y validar la Criminal Sentiment Scale Modified (CSS-M), que evalúa las actitudes criminales. A pesar de la cantidad de investigaciones señalando su importancia como uno de los mejores predictores de la conducta criminal, existen muy pocos instrumentos válidos y psicométricamente bien desarrollados, de los cuales ninguno está disponible en lengua española. Una muestra de 153 internos de la prisión Brians I de los Servicios Penitenciarios de Cataluña (España) participaron voluntariamente en el estudio (73.9% españoles, edad media = 37.3 años) cumplimentaron la versión final de la adaptación española. Se realizó un análisis factorial exploratorio (AFE) y después un análisis factorial confirmatorio (AFC) con todas las subescalas de forma simultánea, siendo su mejor estructura subyacente representada por dos factores: sentimientos hacia los estamentos normativos y autobeneficios criminales. Además, se realizaron varias comparaciones de medias (ANOVA) mostrando una buena validez del instrumento. Según los resultados del estudio se concluye que la versión española del CSS-M tiene adecuadas propiedades psicométricas, potenciando su utilidad en el mundo jurídico-penal de países hispanohablantes como elemento esencial para la prevención de delitos (AU)

Virtual Reality to Train Diagnostic Skills in Eating Disorders. Comparison of two Low Cost Systems.

Enhancing the ability to perform differential diagnosis and psychopathological exploration is important for students who wish to work in the clinical field, as well as for professionals already working in this area. Virtual reality (VR) simulations can immerse students totally in educational experiences in a way that is not possible using other methods. Learning in a VR environment can also be more effective and motivating than usual classroom practices. Traditionally, immersion has been considered central to the quality of a VR system; immersive VR is considered a special and unique experience that cannot achieved by three-dimensional (3D) interactions on desktop PCs. However, some authors have suggested that if the content design is emotionally engaging, immersive systems are not always necessary. The main purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy and usability of two low-cost VR systems, offering different levels of immersion, in order to develop the ability to perform diagnostic interviews in eating disorders by means of simulations of psychopathological explorations.

Virtual humans and formative assessment to train diagnostic skills in bulimia nervosa.

Carrying out a diagnostic interview requires skills that need to be taught in a controlled environment. Virtual Reality (VR) environments are increasingly used in the training of professionals, as they offer the most realistic alternative while not requiring students to face situations for which they are yet unprepared. The results of the training of diagnostic skills can also be generalized to any other situation in which effective communication skills play a major role. Our aim with this study has been to develop a procedure of formative assessment in order to increment the effectiveness of virtual learning simulation systems and then to assess their efficacy.

Retención proactiva y adherencia terapéutica en programas formativos para hombres maltratadores de la pareja / Proactive retention and therapeutic adherence in programs for male perpetrators of intimate partner violence

En la aplicación de programas de intervención con hombres maltratadores de pareja el problema de la adherencia terapéutica adquiere una gran relevancia ya que, junto con la poca eficacia general de los mismos, pone en duda su utilidad para la prevención de la violencia contra la pareja. A pesar de las controversias derivadas de los diferentes estudios realizados sobre esta temática, existe unanimidad en destacar la motivación de los participantes como un factor determinante para la adherencia terapéutica y la finalización del programa de tratamiento. Entre las técnicas que garantizan la motivación de los participantes en los programas de intervención destacan las de retención proactiva y apoyo. En nuestro estudio se analizó el efecto de las técnicas de retención proactiva llevadas a cabo por la Policía autonómica de Cataluña al inicio y durante las primeras sesiones del tratamiento en un programa de intervención para hombres maltratadores de pareja. Los resultados indican que las técnicas de retención proactiva y apoyo inciden en la adherencia al tratamiento (AU)

Adherence to treatment in intervention programs for male perpetrators of intimate partner violence is one of the most relevant factors of the effectiveness of prevention of intimate partner violence. Despite controversies arising from different studies on this subject, there is unanimity in highlighting the key role that participants' motivation plays in adherence to treatment and program completion. Techniques ensuring participants' motivation in therapeutic programs include proactive retention techniques. In this paper we analyze the effect of proactive retention techniques at the beginning and throughout the treatment sessions in an intervention program for male perpetrators of intimate partner violence. The results indicate that both proactive retention techniques and support influence adherence to treatment (AU)

Attitudes do matter: The role of attitudes and personality in DUI offenders.

Several studies have related personality variables with antisocial behavior. Among antisocial behaviors, driving under the influence (DUI) has received growing attention in recent years, particularly in relation to the role of personality. However, it has been shown that personality alone is not sufficient to accurately predict DUI. As a result, there is growing interest in identifying other types of individual differences that might predict this behavior better, such as attitudinal variables. The aim of this study was to examine differences in personality dimensions and attitudes between a group of DUI offenders and a comparison group. Ninety-eight subjects were assessed: 51 subjects who had been convicted of a DUI offense following a diversion program, and 47 drivers without criminal records. Personality was measured with the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and antisocial attitudes were assessed with the Jesness Inventory-Revised. Results indicated that offenders were more prone to show antisocial attitudes (p<.001) than comparisons. In terms of personality, there were no significant differences between the two groups. These findings suggest that attitudes may be useful predictors of DUI and should be taken into account in interventions designed to avoid recidivism.

Therapeutic effects of a cognitive-behavioural treatment with juvenile offenders

Several treatment evaluations have highlighted the effectiveness of cognitivebehavioural programmes with both youth and adult offenders. This paper describes the application and assessment of a cognitive behavioural treatment (adapted to Spanish from Ross and Fabiano’s Reasoning & Rehabilitation Programme) with juvenile offenders serving community orders in an educational measure called in Spanish «libertad vigilada» (similar to parole). The intervention comprised six different therapeutic components: self-control, cognitive restructuring, problem solving, social skills/assertiveness, values/empathy, and relapse prevention. Treatment effectiveness was tested using a quasi-experimental design involving two groups and pre/post evaluation. The results show that the programme was effective (with low to moderate effect sizes) in improving participants’ social skills and self-esteem, as well as in reducing their aggressiveness. However, the intervention had no positive influence on empathy, cognitive distortions or impulsiveness. These results are in line with those of many other correctional studies, in which the treatment applied had a significant but partial effect on participants(AU)

Diferentes estudios han puesto de manifiesto la eficacia de los programas cognitivo-conductuales aplicados como tratamiento en delincuentes adultos y jóvenes. Este trabajo describe la aplicación y evaluación de un tratamiento cognitivo-conductual (una adaptación del programa «Razonamiento y Rehabilitación» de Ross y Fabiano), aplicado a delincuentes juveniles que cumplen sus sanciones en condiciones de libertad vigilada y en contextos comunitarios. El programa de intervención incluía seis componentes terapéuticos: autocontrol, reestructuración cognitiva, resolución de problemas, habilidades sociales / asertividad, valores/empatía y la prevención de recaídas. La efectividad del tratamiento se evaluó mediante un diseño cuasiexperimental en dos grupos y se realizó una evaluación pre / post-tratamiento. Los resultados muestran que el programa fue efectivo (con una magnitud del tamaño del efecto entre baja y moderada) en la mejora de las habilidades sociales de los participantes y la autoestima, así como en la reducción de su agresividad. Sin embargo, la intervención no tuvo influencia positiva en la empatía, las distorsiones cognitivas y la impulsividad. Estos resultados están en línea con muchos otros estudios análogos, en los que el tratamiento aplicado tuvo un efecto significativo, aunque parcial, en los participantes(AU)

Simulated interviews 3.0: virtual humans to train abilities of diagnosis--usability assessment.

Diagnostic interviews in Psychology require the mastery of several skills and abilities that are required and need to be trained. The purpose of this study was to develop a virtual environment that simulates a situation where trainees can interact with virtual patients. The usability of the application was assessed. Results suggested that simulated interviews are a friendly and motivating tool to train diagnostic abilities in psychology students.

[Violence risk assessment: Available tools and instructions for use]. / Valoración del riesgo de violencia: instrumentos disponibles e indicaciones de aplicación.

Violence management and prevention exceed the exclusive court intervention and require other professionals, such as psychologists, who can help in specialized tasks like dangerousness assessment and violence recidivism control. The latest improvements in the prevention of violence have proposed the replacement of dangerousness assessment for the violence risk assessment. This new technology is more efficient to predict the future violent behavior. In this study, we present the basis of these techniques for the violence risk assessment, as well as the Spanish adapted tools and instruments for its application in clinical, forensic and correctional psychology. These are, briefly described, the VRAG scale, the PCL-R, the HCR-20, the SCR-20, the SARA test, the EPV and the SAVRY, as well as their specific functions and applications.

Valoración del riesgo de violencia: instrumentos disponibles e indicaciones de aplicación / Violence risk assessment: Available tools and instructions for use

La reducción y prevención de la violencia no es una tarea exclusiva de la intervención jurídico-penal y requiere a otros profesionales, como los psicólogos, para una participación especializada en campos como la evaluación de la peligrosidad y el control de la reincidencia violenta. Los últimos avances en la prevención de la violencia han propuesto sustituir la evaluación de la peligrosidad por la valoración del riesgo de violencia. Esta tecnología tiene una mayor capacidad predictiva del comportamiento violento futuro. En este trabajo se presentan los fundamentos de las técnicas de valoración del riesgo de violencia y los instrumentos adaptados al español para su aplicación en la psicología clínica, forense y penitenciaria. Se describen brevemente la escala VRAG, la PCL-R, el HCR-20, el SVR-20, la SARA, el EPV y el SAVRY, así como sus aplicaciones específicas(AU)

Violence management and prevention exceed the exclusive court intervention and require other professionals, such as psychologists, who can help in specialized tasks like dangerousness assessment and violence recidivism control. The latest improvements in the prevention of violence have proposed the replacement of dangerousness assessment for the violence risk assessment. This new technology is more efficient to predict the future violent behavior. In this study, we present the basis of these techniques for the violence risk assessment, as well as the Spanish adapted tools and instruments for its application in clinical, forensic and correctional psychology. These are, briefly described, the VRAG scale, the PCL-R, the HCR-20, the SCR-20, the SARA test, the EPV and the SAVRY, as well as their specific functions and applications(AU)

Disentangling impulsiveness, aggressiveness and impulsive aggression: an empirical approach using self-report measures.

There is confusion in the literature concerning the concept of impulsive aggression. Based on previous research, we hypothesize that impulsivity and aggression may be related, though not as closely as to consider them the same construct. So, our aim was to provide empirical evidence of the relationship between the impulsivity and aggressiveness constructs when considered as traits. Two widely used questionnaires [Barratt's Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) and Aggression Questionnaire-Refined (AQ-R)] were administered to 768 healthy respondents. Product-moment and canonical correlations were then calculated. In addition, a principal components analysis was conducted to explore whether impulsive aggression can be defined phenotypically as the expression of a single trait. The common variance between impulsivity and aggressiveness was never higher than 42%. The principal components analysis reveals that one component is not enough to represent all the variables. In conclusion, our results show that impulsivity and aggressiveness are two separate, although related constructs. This is particularly important in view of the misconceptions in the literature.