Comparison of outcome in men and women after treatment in psychiatric security hospitals in Germany

Previous research has shown that forensic psychiatric treatment reduces reoffending, rehospitalization and premature mortality. Treatment outcome varies with diagnosis, but little is known about the influence of sex, psychosocial adjustment and aftercare. To assess these variables, we interviewed male and female patients discharged from three psychiatric security hospitals in Germany in the years 2010–2017. Participants were interviewed at discharge (n = 609) and 1 year later (n = 366) about reoffending, readmissions, substance use and psychosocial adjustment. Among patients with substance use disorder (SUD), 14% reoffended, 20% were re-hospitalized and 60% maintained abstinence. Among patients with severe mental disorder, 5% reoffended and 13% were re-hospitalized. Significant sex differences were found in offenders with SUD. The results suggest that sociodemographic and disorder-related risk factors are associated with treatment success and that female patients with SUD might need a specific treatment approach. Sex-specific aspects, diagnosis and psychosocial adjustment should be considered in forensic psychiatric treatment and risk assessment.     

The Development of Latent Dimensions of Psychopathology across Early Childhood: Stability of Dimensions and Moderators of Change

Recent research has described the structure of psychopathology as including one general and multiple specific factors, and this structure has been found in samples across development. However, little work has examined whether this structure is consistent across time, particularly in young children, within the same sample. Further, few studies have examined factors that influence the magnitude of the stability of latent dimensions of psychopathology. In the present study, we examine these issues in a community sample of 545 children assessed at ages 3 and 6. In addition, we explored child temperament, parental history of psychopathology, and parenting behaviors as potential moderators of the longitudinal stability of latent dimensions of psychopathology. We found that the same bifactor model structure identified at age 3 provided an adequate fit to the data at age 6. Further, our model revealed significant homotypic stability of the general, internalizing, and externalizing specific factors. We also found evidence of differentiation of psychopathology over time with the general factor at age 3 predicting the externalizing factor at age 6. However, we failed to identify moderators of the longitudinal associations between psychopathology latent factors. Overall, our results bolster support for the bifactor structure of psychopathology, particularly in early childhood.     

The Joint Multivariate Modeling of Multiple Mixed Response Sources: Relating Student Performances with Feedback Behavior

The present study concerns a Dutch computer-based assessment, which includes an assessment process about information literacy and a feedback process for students. The assessment is concerned with the measurement of skills in information literacy and the feedback process with item-based support to improve student learning. To analyze students’ feedback behavior (i.e. feedback use and attention time), test performance, and speed of working, a multivariate hierarchical latent variable model is proposed. The model can handle multivariate mixed responses from multiple sources related to different processes and comprehends multiple measurement components for responses and response times. A flexible within-subject latent variable structure is defined to explore multiple individual latent characteristics related to students’ test performance and feedback behavior. Main results of the computer-based assessment showed that feedback-information pages were less visited by well-performing students when they relate to easy items. Students’ attention paid to feedback was positively related to working speed but not to the propensity to use feedback.     

Predicting attention and avoidance: When do avoiders attend?

Three avoidance measures, the Miller Behavioural Style Scale (MBSS), Index of Self-Regulation of Emotion (ISE) and Mainz Coping Inventory (MCI), were compared in their ability to predict attention and avoidance of threats in the emotional Stroop task. It was also examined if the avoidance mechanism of individuals who would normally avoid threat-indicating words becomes disrupted under conditions of dopamine reduction. Results show that only the ISE predicted attention/avoidance of threat-indicating words. In addition, the avoidance mechanism, as measured by the ISE and MCI, was not activated when regular smokers abstained from smoking.     

Klinische und forensische Aspekte hypersexuellen Verhaltens

The present article deals with hypersexual behavior and experience which is characterized by excessive sexual activity and a high degree of psychological strain and/or endangerment for others. Initially, the historical developments of different conceptualizations of the construct which is currently predominantly denominated hypersexuality are illustrated from the beginning in terms of the famous case studies presented by Krafft-Ebing up to the current discussion about the inclusion of hypersexual disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5). Different diagnostical methods and approaches for hypersexual behavior are presented as well as a brief overview about the epidemiology and different etiological models and hypotheses. Finally, the forensic relevance of the construct for expert witness activity is discussed by focusing on the potential impact of hypersexual behavior on criminal responsibility and recidivism risk assessment.