Qualitätssicherung von Gerichtsgutachten im Familienrecht

In recent years many controversial verdicts and studies have brought discussions about the quality of expert opinions in family law into the focus of the media, political and expert public spheres. With the coalition contract, the ruling parties agreed on improving the quality of expert opinions, especially in the sector of family law, in collaboration with professional institutions. Representatives of the legal, psychological and medical associations, the Federal Bar Association and the Federal Chamber of Psychotherapists worked out guidelines for expert opinions in family law in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection. The three main quality assurance aspects are scientifically founded procedures, transparency and traceability. These requirements are concretely illustrated in this article with recommendations concerning the procedure and composition of expert opinions.     

Differenzielle Effekte klassischer Prädiktoren von Jugendgewalt

Previous studies were able to identify numerous predictors of aggressive and violent behavior in youth. Although it is to be expected that these predictors may behave differently with varying personal and situation-specific characteristics, no study has yet empirically examined whether predictors of youth violence really exhibit differential effects. The current study will fill this gap in the literature by asking how do some predictors of youth violence differ between slightly and highly criminal individuals? To answer this question a representative sample of German students of the ninth class from 2007 and 2008 was used (N?=?44,610). Using the technique of quantile regression the effects of the predictors sex, origin, risk seeking, number of delinquent friends, alcohol consumption, parental violence, interparental violence and violent victimization on the number of violent incidents were analyzed. The results showed that all predictors significantly influenced the number of violent incidents; however, the effects of all predictors also varied significantly with the intensity of criminal activity of offenders. Whereas all predictors were valid for highly criminal individuals, only some predictors also influenced the amount of violent crime in occasionally violent youth. These results have important implications regarding the identification of new predictors, theory building and practice. Additionally, the present approach of studying differential effects might prove useful to psychology and law in general. The more empirical research is individualized, the better this research can also be applied in practice.     

Die sexuelle Entwicklung Jugendlicher und Heranwachsender im Kontext von Sexualstraftaten und Körperverletzungsdelikten

To find out possible differences concerning the sexual development of juveniles who had committed either sexual or assaultive offenses. In order to reduce confounding variables a defined group of perpetrators was studied during ongoing criminal proceedings: 107 German single perpetrators, of average intelligence, between 14 and 21 years old, committing hands-on offenses, were investigated in respect to their physical-sexual development (i.e. maldescensus testis, orchitis and others), their socio-sexual development (i.e. attitude to masturbation, to sexuality within the family and others), and their psycho-sexual development (i.e. homo- or heterosexual experiences by mutual agreement like petting or sexual intercourse). 38 subjects had sexually forced female juveniles or women, 36 subjects had sexually abused children of both sexes, 33 subjects had committed assaultive offences towards male juveniles or men (control group). No differences were found between the groups concerning their physical-sexual development. The socio-sexual development distinguished between the sexual offender groups and the control group. The outcome concerning the psycho-sexual development was specific for every single offender group. Many of the juveniles who had committed sexual offences were acting like this already before the age of 14 (limit of criminal responsibility in Germany). This was so as well for some few subjects of the control group. After the age of 14 juveniles of the sex offender groups - in contrast to the control group - committed sexual offences which were not reported. Considering further characteristics of the biography and the results of psychometric instruments of the 107 subjects investigated, this study describes early markers of the development of deviant sexual fantasies in juvenile sex offenders.     

Quantitative Versuche über die Prägnanz von Punktmustern

Summary The intention of the paper is to describe Prägnanz-phenomena in terms of information theory. Two different concepts for the application of informational variables to perceptual processes are discriminated. For several reasons, Attneave's concept (1951) is preferred: In the sense of information theory single figures can be treated as signal structures; thus the degree of regularity in them should be specifiable in terms of informational variables.Two quasi-informational parameters are used to describe the degree of regularity in simple dot patterns.It was expected that perceived figural quality of dot patterns would increase with the redundancy of spatially distributed messages. At a constant word-length (= constant number of dots), the quality perceived should be the better the lower the entropy (or uncertainty) of the figure.In several experiments the information measures used turned out to be closely related to different operationally defined response-variables for figural quality, e.g. figural goodness-ratings and exactness of the reproduction of dot-positions. Besides, an inverse relationship is observed between interestingness-ratings and redundancy measures.The results are discussed in terms of information theory and psychological concepts. It is shown, that it has important implications on the psychological theory of perception to regard the human perceiver as an information-decoding-system. Apparently there must be some dynamically active system which enables the perceiver to utilize the redundancy of spatial brightness-distributions for sure and quick recognition.     

Zur Entwicklung von Konzepten und Methoden der Prävention

Zusammenfassung  Die Verstärkung von Primärprävention als Senkung der Eintrittswahrscheinlichkeit von Krankheiten ist angesichts der Dominanz chronisch-degenerativer Erkrankungen und der wachsenden Ungleichheit von Gesundheitschancen in reichen Industrieländern eine zentrale Herausforderung zeitgemäßer Gesundheitspolitik. Die heute dabei verwendeten Konzepte und Methoden haben historische Wurzeln, deren Kenntnis Anregungen für ihre Verbesserung und weitere Entwicklung liefern kann. Moderne Primärprävention senkt Gesundheitsbelastungen und fördert gesundheitsdienliche Ressourcen, sie arbeitet mit spezifischen und unspezifischen Interventionen, gibt der Veränderung der Kontexte von Krankheitsentstehung und belastendem Verhalten Priorität und ist partizipativ angelegt. Das gilt für Interventionen auf der Ebene des Individuums ebenso wie für solche in settings/Lebenswelten und für bevölkerungsweite bzw. zielgruppenspezifische Kampagnen. Eine Verbesserung der Qualitätssicherung ist notwendig. Das im Jahr 2005 gescheiterte Präventionsgesetz sollte zwar lediglich den Beitrag der Sozialversicherungsträger zu dieser anspruchsvollen, gesamtgesellschaftlichen Strategie regeln, enthielt aber Festlegungen im Hinblick auf Ziele, Instrumente, Zuständigkeiten und Ressourcen, die auch für den nächsten Anlauf der Gesetzgebung richtungweisend sein sollten.

Zur Häufigkeit der Schuldfähigkeitsbegutachtung von Sexualstraftätern im Erkenntnisverfahren

This study investigated how often and depending on which factors sexual offenders are examined by mental health experts regarding their criminal responsibility. Out of a total of 306 legal charges against sex offenders accused of child sexual abuse (CSA: n?=?145), rape or sexual assault (n?=?89), exhibitionism (n?=?39), sexual abuse of adolescents, mentally defective, physically helpless or warded persons (n?=?18) that were admitted by a criminal court in 2001 in the German federal state of Schleswig-Holstein, 209 (95.6 %) were analyzed regarding the following questions: how often was the accused examined by a mental health professional regarding mental responsibility? Was the chance of being examined systematically related to certain factors (e.g., personality of the accused)? Expert advice regarding the mental responsibility of the accused was obtained by the court in only 34 cases (11.7 %). No systematic relationships of personal variables as well as the modus operandi and the chance of commissioning a mental health expert were found. The main reason for assigning a forensic expert opinion was the vague impression of a psychic disorder. Re-offending increased the rate of a mental health examination only in CSA (34.6 % of re-offenders were examined compared to 9.2 % of first-time offenders), but not in rape or sexual assault. Also age does not predict the commissioning of an expert opinion. Only one fifth of all accused below the age of 21 were investigated by a mental health professional. Results are discussed in terms of legal background, consequences for risk assessment and relapse prevention.     

Prävention

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Zur Prävalenz von Depersonalisation und Derealisation in der stationären Psychotherapie

Depersonalization (DP) and derealization (DR) remain poorly recognized in clinical routine. Active exploration through structured interviews is strongly recommended, because patients rarely describe spontaneously their experiences with DP/DR. 143 psychosomatic, first-admission inpatients were interviewed about the 1-month prevalence of DP/DR using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV dissociative disorders. Additionally, the German questionnaires of the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale, the Dissociative Experiences Scale, the SCL-90-R and the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems were used. In the sample we found a prevalence of 23.1% (N=33) for depersonalization-derealization syndrom (ICD-10 F48.1) and 7% (N=10) for secondary pathological DP/DR. A total percentage of 62.9% reported DP/DR to some degree or other. There was a noticeably high co-occurrence of anxiety disorders in patients with pathological DP/DR. Patients with pathological DP/DR were generally more impaired, suffered many more interpersonal problems and were particularly characterized by introversion. Considering the high prevalence of this phenomenon, more attention should be paid to DP/DR in routine diagnostic procedures, treatment and research.     

Posttraumatische Belastungssymptome als Spätfolge von Kindheiten im Zweiten Weltkrieg

Psychological late-life sequelae of war childhood have rarely been examined. The study evaluated posttraumatic symptoms and current psychopathology in a sample of former German war children of which 10.8% reported significant posttraumatic symptoms indicating a possible posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The presence of PTSD symptoms was significantly associated with current psychopathological distress, even 6 decades after World War II. Our data underline the urgent need for research in this field. Clinical implications for a psychotherapeutic approach are discussed.     

Homosexualität und Prägung

Ohne ZusammenfassungMit Unterstützung der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Gewaltprävention statt Präventivschlag

Die Psychotherapie -     

Prüfungsangst bewältigen

Test anxiety or exam anxiety is a prevalent problem among students. Therefore, a high proportion of students seek help in university counseling centers. Based on a theoretical review of psychological theories and models of test anxiety, a cognitive-behavioral training program for coping with test anxiety as well as the evaluation of the program is presented. The program includes elements of behavior training with video-supported role playing and simulation of (oral) test situations, enhancement of learning and preparation strategies including time management as well as cognitive intervention strategies and relaxation training. Evaluation of the workshop program shows significant reduction of test anxiety and the strengthening of self-efficacy. The group program also lends itself for application with other groups, such as school students or for the preparation of job interviews.     

The dynamics of Prägnanz

Summary There is quite wide-spread agreement about the relevance of pattern Pragnanz (Koffka, 1935) with respect to the human interpretation of visual patterns. There is less agreement about whether pattern Pragnanz is based solely on pattern information (static) or also on the history of the perceiver (dynamic). In Van Leeuwen and Van den Hof (1991), experimental data concerning serial patterns are presented within the framework of the dynamic-network approach initiated by Buffart (1986, 1987). These experimental data are claimed to give evidence against the static-coding approach initiated by Leeuwenberg (1969, 1971). In the present paper, however, I show first that Buffart's theoretical basis is incorrect, and that in fact Leeuwenberg's static-coding approach is the basis for the dynamic-network approach. Second, I show that those experimental data rather give evidence in favor of the static-coding approach, by using those same data for a test of the most recent static-coding model (Van der Helm & Leeuwenberg, 1991; Van der Helm, Van Lier, & Leeuwenberg, 1992). Finally, I propose a reconciliation between the two approaches, in the sense that the dynamic-network model could be shaped in such a way that it yields a simulation, and maybe even an enrichment, of the static-coding model.     

Prävention in der Arbeitswelt

In the new working world with its growing turbulences and increasing demands prevention is getting more difficult but at the same time increasingly necessary. New forms of working and of organization, the vanishing limits between work and private life and the promotion of patchwork patterns in both areas call for adequately differentiated prevention concepts. People have to be beside the enhancement of their qualification (performance enhancement) prepared for the future in their effectiveness and health (social competence, employability) as the individual aspect. The situation and the organization (structure) have to be preventively shaped in a way, that the desired interactions in the field of performance, health, security and life quality may be experienced. A blueprint for this purposes is presented here accompanied by practical instruments and propositions for prevention as for example bonification.