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Background Research has investigated the attitudes of a range of professional and paraprofessional staff who are exposed to men who have sexually offended. The evidence emerging from this work suggests that many factors appear to have an effect on the attitudes that staff develop, including the number of years in their job, gender, or parental status. Objectives The aim of this review is to explore these factors to determine the influence they have on the attitudes of care staff and how these attitudes subsequently influence the care and treatment provided to men who sexually offend. Method An electronic search of seven bibliographic databases was conducted to identify primary research studies in addition to scanning reference lists of existing studies and contacting experts in the field. The search generated 13,987 hits. After scanning the titles and abstracts, 51 papers were subject to the exclusion criteria. A total of 13 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final synthesis process. Results A number of factors appear to be important when exploring the relationship between attitudes and the care and treatment provided to men who sexually offend. These include factors within the domains of cognitive, affective and behavioural attitudes. Conclusions The papers highlighted a range of factors that influence attitudes. These factors appear to influence the flavour of attitudes and the nature of attitudes is seen to be an influencing factor in terms of the quality of relationships between men who commit sexual offences and professional staff. However the definition of attitudes needs to be more carefully applied to empirical research. Results collected from the studies provide suggestions regarding the clinical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the decision-making processes of people who kill, paying particular attention to the role of situational, interactional and emotional factors. The paper considers what killers were thinking and feeling immediately prior to and during the moments of homicide, what situational and emotional factors influence their decision to become embroiled in a lethal encounter and the extent to which they draw upon prior knowledge and ‘expertise’ in planning and/or executing homicide. The overall aim is to review existing research to illuminate whether and how those who commit homicide adopt particular cognitive processes that inform their ‘decisions’ to become involved in a lethal act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of cognition in the facilitation and reinforcement of criminal behavior has been highlighted and recognized in numerous offender populations. Coupled with this is an emerging body of literature suggesting that offenders may, in fact, display a certain level of expertise in their offending. In this paper, the notion of offending expertise along with cognition—specifically the concept of offense scripts—will be explored in relation to firesetting behavior for the first time. Using research evidence and clinical experience this paper outlines a preliminary conceptual framework of the potential scripts and types of expertise that are likely to characterize firesetters. The content, structure, and etiological functions of these scripts and expertise are described. Future research and practical implications of the proposed firesetting scripts and expertise are also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotions have been studied largely within an interpersonal context but are now increasingly investigated wthin large scale social problems. This paper reviews key concepts in affective science as applicable to violent ethnic conflict. Beginning with the customary question "what are emotions?", a cognitive-motivational perspective points to the appraisals and action tendencies inherent in anger and fear, the twin emotions corresponding to fight or flight during violent encounters. Also relevant to violent ethnic conflict are resentment, contempt, sadness, shame, guilt, pride/honor, and remorse. Whether these emotions are (i) situational (state) or dispositional (trait), (ii) felt vs expressed, they have further implications for conflict. Anger, as one example of emotion, can be characterized with reference to five parameters; it can also be represented along six major dimensions of expression, as witnessed interpersonally and intercommunally. A new theoretical position is taken in which violent ethnic conflict is no longer positioned within the primordalist-constructivist dichotomy, but instead is viewed as a function of predisposing factors, precipitating factors, exacerbating factors, perpetuating factors, consequences, and enabling factors. Each of these factors may carry its own cache of emotions that interact with one another over the course of violent ethnic conflict. • Violent ethnic conflict involves emotions e.g., anger, fear, resentment, remorse, guilt, pride. • Each emotion comprises a unique combination of cognitive appraisal and action tendency. • Emotions interact dynamically and can be felt vs expressed, situational vs dispositional. • Anger in conflict can be represented with reference to five parameters and six expression styles. • Emotions can predispose, precipitate, exacerbate, perpetuate, enable, and accompany conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper began by suggesting that culture might influence how people construe workplace bullying. Referring back to the studies of cultural differences in cognition, it was suggested that people of the Far East might construe workplace bullying differently from the people of Western countries. Taking South Korean culture as an example, this paper explained how historical background and culture shaped Korean''s psyche in relation to workplace bullying. Currently available evidence was discussed including the way Koreans construed workplace bullying and how close social bonding might act as a buffer against a conflict escalating into bullying. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Violence prevention and intervention programming continues to overlook conclusive findings from biopsychosocial research that demonstrates the salience of early interpersonal trauma in subsequent perpetration of violent behavior. As a result, programs struggle to achieve significant and sustained behavior change in individuals whose past experiences of early interpersonal violence predispose them to use violence against others. A robust research literature unequivocally links early interpersonal trauma experience with future violence perpetration. Though legal consequences have demonstrated some success in curtailing future violence among those involved with the legal system and only in situation in which law enforcement and judicial processes protect victims, there is growing recognition that rehabilitation and treatment of perpetrators is necessary. Globally, studies demonstrate that exposure to early interpersonal violence negatively impacts brain development, interpersonal skills, and emotional resilience and escalates risk for future violence perpetration. Studies of youth and adult violence perpetrators consistently demonstrate that individuals who engage in violent behavior are much more likely to have experienced early interpersonal trauma. It is essential to integrate a mental health approach into public health frameworks to address the core of violence perpetration. Unaddressed early trauma greatly distorts the normal developmental trajectory of cognitive and psychological/emotional abilities. Unsurprisingly, many of the affected systems are also linked to violence perpetration. This position paper outlines the interconnections between early trauma and violence perpetration, and demonstrates the necessity of integrating a mental health, trauma-based framework into global violence interventions. • Early childhood interpersonal trauma is related to future violence perpetration • Range of neurobiological and psychological repercussions of early trauma • Highly effective evidence-based treatments for trauma exist • Global violence interventions fail to incorporate trauma approach • Effectiveness and Sustainability problems with perpetrator interventions may be due to failure to address trauma experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cognitive neuroscience perspective seeks to understand behavior in terms of dysfunction in cognitive processes underpinned by neural processes. There has been an explosion in cognitive neuroscience work, and neuro-scientific work more generally, on violence over the last 20 years, particularly over the last decade. The paper will articulate a position regarding several forms of functional process, and their neural substrates, that, when dysfunctional, increase the risk for different forms of violence. Implications of this work with respect to the development of individualized assessments and treatments will be briefly considered. • Cognitive neuroscience: understanding behavior by identifying the functional properties of specific neuro-cognitive systems. • Forms of violence recognized by the W.H.O. focus on the targets of the violence: e.g., children or intimate partners. • Forms of neuro-cognitive dysfunction increase the risk of specific forms of violence: instrumental and/or reactive. • Consuming alcohol appears to lead to forms of neuro-cognitive dysfunction that can increase instrumental violence risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Affect regulation problems have been found to play an important role in the onset of problematic behavior, such as sexual abuse. The role of emotion and maladaptive coping has become relevant in both research and treatment interventions. Forensic treatments have been strongly influenced by conceptualizations of affect regulation that emphasize the control of emotional experience and expression. For a long time, emotions were treated as less important than cognition. However, the view of emotion as an adaptive resource and meaning system is now emerging in the forensic literature. General psychotherapy research has shown that improved affect regulation and deeper experiencing is associated with better outcomes in psychotherapy. These findings, in combination with the role of emotions in behavioral and relational functioning, are leading to a shift in forensic treatment approaches. In this paper, we review the literature on affect regulation in treatment programs for individuals who have committed sexual offenses. The implications of this work for forensic practice will be considered. Finally, Emotion-Focused Therapy will be presented as a promising therapeutic approach for forensic treatment programs to promote clients' emotional engagement and processing, and to improve treatment outcomes. Highlights • Improved affect regulation contributes to better therapy outcome. • Emotional engagement is crucial, also in forensic psychotherapy. • More focus on affect regulation could improve treatment of people who have committed sexual offenses. • Emotion-Focused Therapy offers a useful approach to facilitate emotional change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forensic psychology and psychotherapy field recognises offence-supportive cognition as a major dynamic risk factor for reoffending, meaning it is one focus of risk assessment instruments and offender treatment programs. Despite the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV), the cognitive characteristics of IPV offenders have received little theoretical and research attention in comparison to those who engage in violent or sexual offending outside the context of a relationship. To address this gap, this paper draws on social cognitive theory to specify the potential structure, content, and information processing effects of cognition supportive of IPV. We propose that IPV perpetrators possess self-schemas, other-schemas and relational scripts that contain cognition about relationships, gender, and aggression and violence, respectively. In applying the model to IPV, we use established social information processing theory to suggest how such cognitive content is processed in moment-to-moment interactions between IPV perpetrators and their victims in ways that result in violence. The paper provides etiological hypotheses, integrates a broad array of existing literature, and offers a guide for clinicians seeking to formulate and intervene in cognition associated with IPV perpetration. • We provide a comprehensive blueprint of intimate partner violence cognition. • IPV cognition includes dysfunctional self-, other-schemas and relational scripts. • They combine distorted cognition on relationships, aggression, and gender. • We offer hypotheses on how relational schemas relate to IPV behaviour. • The papers offers a guide for clinicians seeking to formulate and intervene in IPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deterrence, treatment and legal response to online child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) offenders is enhanced by the joint consideration of technological behaviours and cognitions. CSEM offenders choose an environment based on both psychosexual needs and utility, and in turn that environment shapes future behaviour and reinforces cognitive distortions. This paper introduces lawless space theory, a theory of cyber criminality which posits that offenders will primarily choose and utilize a perceived lawless space that best meets their psychosocial and criminogenic needs in the most frictionless way; habituation and differential association in the lawless space will reduce the perceived risk; normalization will increase comfort in a particular lawless space, increasing friction costs that must be overcome to switch technologies; and additional countermeasures will only be implemented by offenders to reduce perceived risk and lower cognitive dissonance, but not at the expense of utility. The theory is explored through the exemplar of CSEM offences and offers explanatory power for the lifecycle of a lawless space, the use of legacy spaces in the presence of objectively more capable options, the simultaneous use of multiple spaces to meet different psychosexual needs, and the adoption of new technologies by offenders. Additionally, the gateway choice and progression of lawless space usage informs investigations, risk assessments, and deterrence efforts and provides behavioural treatment targets. • Lawless space theory (LST) provides explanatory power for the use of technology by cybercriminals. • Offenders choose perceived lawless spaces that meets their psychosocial and criminogenic needs in the most frictionless way. • Offenders will habituate and normalize their activities through continued use of the lawless space. • Online child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) offender activities are explainable under LST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key technique associated with effective cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the behavioral experiment (BE). Within mainstream clinical psychology, the overall aim of the BE is to treat clients' problematic beliefs as a set of hypotheses to be tested. In this review, I examine the BE as a treatment technique and argue that widespread implementation of the BE could significantly improve CBT-based forensic psychological practice. I examine contemporary conceptualizations of cognition within forensic psychology as well as commonly used treatment techniques for instilling cognitive change. This analysis highlights that although some experiential techniques are used in forensic psychology to facilitate cognitive change (e.g., schema therapy), there is still a key focus on rational reasoning techniques such as Socratic questioning, psychoeducation, and thought monitoring. In this paper, I argue that current methods of instigating cognitive change within offending populations neglect key strategies necessary to generate convincing cognitive change. I offer the BE as a convincing and effective technique for facilitating change in problematic offender cognition at both the rational and experiential levels. I offer several recommendations for how to design and incorporate BEs into forensic practice and provide examples of BE use in forensic settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a significant public health concern globally with substantial impact on the health of victims. Although research on IPV has increased substantially over the past several decades, effective evidence-based interventions to address IPV behaviors by men remain limited. The IPV field has lacked a comprehensive review of the status of research across the broad areas that have been found to be associated with use of IPV behaviors. This paper reviewed quantitative research studies of the genetic, neurocognitive, neuroendocrine, and selected environmental underpinnings of IPV behavior in men to develop a conceptual model. To date, environmental studies have been the most extensive with focus on early life adversity, trauma, attachment and substance misuse. Head injuries and neuropsychological impacts have indicated deficits in cognitive flexibility and executive functioning related to the prefrontal cortex are common in men who use IPV. Fewer studies have examined neuroendocrine or hormonal factors impacting IPV behavior but there is some evidence that cortisol and testosterone may play a role. Genetics factors have been the least explored, although there is emerging evidence of genetic heritability, and gene by environment interactions. A more comprehensive understanding of biological, psychological, and social factors will advance future IPV research and intervention. • Men who use IPV may have deficits that impact cognitive flexibility, mental organization, impulsivity, and emotion regulation. • Both biological and environmental factors contribute to IPV behaviors in men. • A comprehensive model of IPV that includes genetics, neurobiology and environment will move IPV research and intervention forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual harassment is recognized as a widespread form of aggressive behavior with severe consequences for victims and organizations. Yet, contemporary research and theory focusing on the motives and cognition of sexual harassment perpetrators continues to be sparse and underdeveloped. This review examines the motivations that underlie sexual harassment and the self-exonerating cognitions and behavioral techniques employed by perpetrators of sexual harassment. In this paper, we emphasize the need to understand the cognitive processes that disinhibit motivated individuals to sexually harass. Utilizing social cognitive theory as a foundation, we propose that cognitive mechanisms of moral disengagement are likely to have an important etiological role in the facilitation and reinforcement of sexually harassing behavior. A preliminary conceptual framework is presented, suggesting novel ways in which each of the various moral disengagement mechanisms may contribute to sexual harassment perpetration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: As Kuhn (1970) has noted, most scientific fields go through processes of paradigm change, painful periods in which old theories no longer fit available data and are placed by new theories. Such periods typically create strife and debate as ideological differences emerged between proponents of old and new theoretical approaches. In the current paper, we argue that such a period has been reached within the field of aggression research. Over the past half-century, social cognitive and social learning paradigms of aggression, exemplified in the General Aggression Model (GAM) have retained dominance, particularly in areas such as media violence. We contend that data to support the GAM and social cognitive approaches to aggression have never been conclusive, and newer evidence increasingly suggests that the GAM and social cognitive theories of aggression more generally are not adequate to explain aggressive phenomena. We discuss weaknesses and problematic, sometimes hidden assumptions of the GAM and how these reduce the utility of this paradigm. Current evidence suggests that the GAM and the social cognitive paradigm of aggression should be retired, and approaches which focus on diathesis-stress hold greater promise. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The importance of cognition in the facilitation and reinforcement of criminal behavior has been highlighted and recognized in numerous offender populations. In particular, professionals have theorized that various offender populations hold offense-supportive schemas or implicit theories that require treatment in therapy. However, the role of cognition in deliberate firesetting has received no focused conceptual or theoretical attention. Using current research evidence and theory relating to general cognition and the characteristics of firesetters, this paper outlines a preliminary conceptual framework of the potential cognitions (in the form of implicit theories) that are likely to characterize firesetters. Five implicit theories are proposed that may be associated with firesetting behavior. The content, structure, and etiological functions of these implicit theories are described as well as the cognitive similarities between firesetters and other offender types. Future research implications and practical implications of the proposed implicit theories are also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The core treatment targets (CTTs) in sex offender treatment programs across much of North America are relatively consistent. These interventions address deficits such as cognitive distortions, victim empathy, and problem-solving. Such deficit areas are thought to be linked to sexual offending and increased risk of recidivism, which is the distal outcome used to evaluate a program''s success. Few programs discuss the proximal outcomes, which are changes in the CTTs. To effectively measure proximal outcomes, researchers and clinicians need to be aware of and use valid and reliable instruments to assess progress in the CTTs. This paper provides a thorough review of the available instruments that measure the common CTTs in sex offender treatment programs. For each CTT, we present a brief description of the construct, the available instruments, the known psychometric properties, and whether the measures have been cross-validated with sex offenders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Social cognitive theory and research have made important contributions to contemporary understandings of aggression and violence. At present, however, the domains of aggression theory and its applied counterpart, violent offender treatment, have progressed as relatively disparate fields with little intersection between theory and practice. In this paper we describe the present state of aggression theory and consider the evidence available to support its hypothesized mechanisms, paying particular attention to the most under-researched aspect: aggression-related cognitions. Approaches to the treatment of violent offenders are then examined with regard to their theoretical underpinnings and the extent to which they target constructs designated as contributing to aggression propensity by the most comprehensive and contemporary theory of aggression, the General Aggression Model (GAM; Anderson & Bushman, 2002; Anderson & Carnagey, 2004; Anderson, Gentile, & Buckley, 2007). In conclusion, we argue that additional research is required to more fully explore the constructs implicated in aggressive behavior by the GAM in clinical populations, and that improved integration between theory and practice is required, specifically, that the literature underpinning the GAM ought to be drawn upon to improve the efficacy of violent offender treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cognitive distortions have become an important focus for professionals working with child molesters since the early 1980s. In this paper, we describe and discuss both the theoretical and methodological developments of child molester''s cognitive distortions that have evolved over the past two decades. We conclude that although theory and research development has been a little slow in this topic, several interesting theoretical and methodological developments have been made in recent years. We describe how we believe such developments will further increase the conceptual clarity of cognitive distortions and provide some suggestions for other future developments in this field. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]