The current study was an investigation of the effectiveness of Functional Family Therapy (FFT) for improving the mental health, behavioral, and legal outcomes for justice-involved adolescents. A primary focus of the investigation was on whether Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits moderated the effects of treatment and whether therapists tailored the intervention to youths with these traits. The sample was 134 youths (15.34 years) who had been arrested and referred to a community mental health center for treatment by trained FFT therapists. Results indicated modest improvement over the course of treatment in the youths' emotional and behavioral functioning. CU traits were found to moderate treatment effects, wherein CU traits were associated with greater emotional and behavioral dysfunction prior to treatment, as well as greater improvement after treatment. However, CU traits also predicted greater self-reported, but not official reports, of delinquency at follow-up. Furthermore, results indicated some evidence for diverging treatment processes for youth with and without CU traits. Specifically, differences in response to changes in negative parenting varied between youth high and low on CU traits for some measures of emotional and behavioral functioning. Overall, FFT was found to be a promising treatment approach, but significant limitations in its effectiveness were also documented.

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits have been shown to designate a particular subgroup of antisocial youth that are particularly violent, recidivistic, and more likely to continue offending in adulthood. Disordered neuroendocrine function may be a mechanism for the development of CU traits. We examined whether altered stress responsivity served as a mechanism linking stress exposure and the expression of CU traits. Participants were 15 incarcerated adolescent girls with CU traits. Measures of CU traits, stress exposure, and salivary cortisol were collected. Results revealed girls with CU traits had higher morning levels of cortisol, an intact cortisol awakening response (CAR), and flatter diurnal rhythms. Results indicated the type of stressor being measured and time since stressor onset are crucial to the interpretation of neuroendocrine function. We also found support for a neurobiological model for the development of CU traits drawing on the Adaptive Calibration Model. Implications of the study and directions for further research are discussed.

Thesis advisor: Thomas O'Hare / Psychopathy has received a marked increase in attention in the research literature over the past 2 decades since the validation and standardization of assessment tools designed to measure this construct, particularly the Psychopathy Checklist-measures (Hare, 1991/2003; Hart, Cox, & Hare, 1995; and Forth, Kosson, & Hare, 2003). Psychopathy has been identified as the best single predictor of violence among adult offenders (Hart, 1998). Such findings have led some to conclude that "psychopathy is the most important psychological construct for policy and practice in the criminal justice system" (Harris, Skilling, & Rice, 2001). Despite the overwhelming evidence of substantial societal and individual costs attributable to this disorder, little is known about psychosocial precursors of psychopathy. This study examines risk factors related to the development of psychopathy, as measured by the PCL:SV, in a sample of 446 psychiatric patients using structural equation modeling (SEM). The final SEM includes five predictor variables measuring early-life physical abuse, paternal antisocial behavior, and cognitive ability. Severe physical abuse (&beta; = 0.17, <italic>p</italic> = .043), biological father's alcohol abuse history (&beta; = .16, <italic>p</italic> =.004), biological father's arrest history (&beta; = 0.13, <italic>p</italic> = .02), and the subject's cognitive ability (&beta; = -0.18, <italic>p</italic> < .001) were found predictive of psychopathy in this sample. Post hoc analyses comparing male and female subjects, and black and white subjects, indicate different causal pathways in the development of psychopathy among these groups. Future research designed to assess these potentially different causal pathways are recommended. Implications to clinical theory, practice, and policy are also discussed. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Social Work. / Discipline: Social Work.

A literatura psicológica é unânime em afirmar que o ambiente é um importante propulsor do desenvolvimento infantil. Assim, ao considerar a importância do meio, é preciso entender que a família exerce uma importante influência na criança, podendo auxiliar ou dificultar seu processo evolutivo. A partir de uma perspectiva transgeracional, é possível identificar a forma como ocorrem a transmissão psíquica e o processo estruturante da organização familiar, correspondente à herança familiar em nível inconsciente, que transfere aspectos intrapsíquicos e intersubjetivos. A tendência antissocial pode levar a um importante rompimento das expectativas que a sociedade e a família têm para com a criança, sendo que os sintomas que a caracterizam compreendem a presença de brigas, agressividade, oposição, mentiras, fugas, desobediência, entre outros. Sendo assim, o presente trabalho visou compreender os psicodinamismos familiares envolvidos no surgimento e na manutenção da tendência antissocial em uma criança do sexo feminino de cinco anos de idade, a partir da perspectiva da teoria da Transmissão Psíquica Transgeracional. Foi realizado um estudo de caso com a participação de uma família, cuja criança apresenta sintomas de tendência antissocial. Participaram desta pesquisa: a criança, seus pais, sua avó materna e sua avó paterna. A avaliação realizada compreendeu a utilização da Bateria Hammer para todos os participantes; Teste de Apercepção Temática Infantil e Teste das Matrizes Progressivas Coloridas de Raven para a criança; entrevista psicológica semiestruturada e Questionário de Capacidades e Dificuldades (SDQ-Por) para a mãe; e Teste de Apercepção Temática para todos os adultos. Os materiais foram analisados a partir de uma perspectiva clínica psicanalítica, além das cotações propostas pelos manuais dos instrumentos. A partir dos dados obtidos, nota-se que os sintomas da criança estão intimamente relacionados às angústias, sofrimentos e incertezas dos membros de sua família. As duas avós apresentam uma história que as aproxima e contribui para a compreensão familiar, sendo que ambas expressam uma dependência em relação ao outro, de forma que buscam relações que possam auxiliá-las a satisfazer suas necessidades. As avós e a mãe da criança sofreram privações emocionais ao longo da vida, relacionadas à ausência de figuras importantes, à separação prematura de seus pais e ao holding deficitário, sem encontrarem alguém para suprir-lhes as carências afetivas. A criança recebe a angústia dessas mulheres e seu desejo de mudança, por ela expressos através de sua impulsividade e agitação. Já o pai demonstra sentimento de inutilidade e futilidade frente ao mundo, o que o faz se distanciar da família e dos cuidados da filha. Como seus pais evidenciam a ausência de figuras de identificação para o exercício das funções parentais, a criança recebe conteúdos não elaborados, ligados a perdas, busca por holding, depressão e sensação de ser exigida além do que pode oferecer. Os contornos do Self infantil são pouco definidos¸ e a menina não se sente protegida por uma imposição segura de limites. Os sintomas da criança parecem ser uma maneira que ela encontrou para elaborar os conteúdos que lhe foram transmitidos, buscar ajuda e receber holding. Faz-se necessária uma intervenção nessa família, para que o tratamento da criança seja efetivo. Outras pesquisas devem ser realizadas, a fim de aprofundar o conhecimento sobre a temática. / The psychological literature is unanimous in stating that the environment plays a very important whole in children\'s development process. In so being, the family may help or hinder their healthy growth. From an intergenerational perspective, it is possible to identify how the psychic transmission and the structuring process of the family organization (corresponding to the family inheritance on an unconscious level) occur as to the transfer of intrapsychic and intersubjective aspects. The antisocial trend can cause a major disruption of the expectations that society and the family have for the child, and the symptoms that characterize such trend encompass the presence of quarrels, aggression, opposition, lies, escaping from reality, and disobedience, among others. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the family psychodynamics involved in the onset and maintenance of antisocial trend in a female child of five years old, from the perspective of the Psychic Transgenerational Transmission theory. A case study including the participation of her family was conducted. So, the child, her parents, her maternal grandmother and her paternal grandmother were included. The evaluation encompassed the use of Hammer Battery (with all the participants); Children Apperception Test and Raven\'s Coloured Progressive Matrices Test (with the child); psychological interview and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-Per) (with the mother); and Thematic Apperception Test with all adults. The data were analyzed from a psychoanalytic clinical perspective, together with the conjectures proposed by manual instruments. It can be noted that the child\'s symptoms are closely related to the anguish, suffering and uncertainty of the members of her family. Both grandmothers have similar life histories, expressing a dependency on others, that contributes to the understanding of their families. Both wish to get involved in relationships that could help them to meet their needs. The child\'s grandmothers and mother have suffered emotional deceptions throughout life, which are related to the absence of important figures, due to premature separation of their parents and consequent deficit of holding, and did not find other person to meet their affective needs. The child receives the distresses of these women and their wishes of changes in their lives, expressing such feelings through her impulsiveness and restlessness. Her father demonstrates a feeling of uselessness and futility as to the world, leading him to an emotional distance from his family and his daughter\'s care. So, the chill\'s parents reveal major losses that led to the absence of figures of identification in exercising their parental responsibilities. The child receives contents not well elaborated, related to loss, search for holding, depression and feeling of being required, but with no conditions to answer accordingly. The contours of the child\'s Self are poorly defined and the girl does not feel protected by secure imposing limits. The child\'s symptoms seem to be a way she found to elaborate contends and seek for help and holding. An intervention should be carried out with this family to help the child\'s treatment. Further researches should be conducted to deepen the knowledge on the subject.

Föreliggande studie är en kvantitativ undersökning av sambandet mellan ICAP teorin och återfallsbrottslighet i the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development. Syftet med studien är att undersöka om det existerar ett signifikant samband mellan långsiktig antisocial potential (AP) respektive kortsiktig AP och risken för återfall, samt vilken effekt AP har på återfall. Studien är ett försök till att öka kriminologisk kunskap samt identifiera riskfaktorer för återfall, speciellt om långsiktig och kortsiktig AP kan användas för att förutsäga återfall i brott. Begreppet antisocial potential är baserad på David Farringtons ICAP teori om sambandet mellan AP och brottslighet och fungerar som ett försök att identifiera och utvärdera vilka individuella riskfaktorer som kan förutsäga återfall. Återfall mäts i variabeln officiellt återfall. För att mäta långsiktig AP respektive kortsiktig AP skapas variabler bestående av föräldrars äktenskap, äldre syskons brottslighet, familjestorlek, brottslighet bland vänner, koncentration, rastlöshet, alkohol samt droger. Resultaten visar på ett samband mellan hög långsiktig AP och officiellt återfall i brott samt mellan hög kortsiktig AP och officiellt återfall i brott. Variablerna föräldrars äktenskap, äldre syskons brottslighet och brottslighet bland vänner visar sig öka risken för officiellt återfall vid hög långsiktig AP medan sannolikheten för officiellt återfall ökar vid hög kortsiktig AP och variablerna koncentration, rastlöshet samt droger oberoende av förekomsten av hög långsiktig AP. Studiens konklusion är att resultaten ej stödjer att ICAP teorin som helhet kan användas som prediktor för officiellt återfall i brott då hög AP även existerar inom gruppen som ej återfallit i brott. / The present study is a quantitative study of the relationship between ICAP theory and recidivism in crime in the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development. The purpose of the study is to investigate whether there is a significant correlation between long-term antisocial potential (AP) and short-term AP and the risk of recidivism, as well as the effect of AP on recidivism. The study is an attempt to increase criminological knowledge as well as identify risk factors for recidivism, especially if long-term and short-term AP can be used to predict recidivism in crime. The term antisocial potential is based on David Farrington's ICAP theory about the relationship between AP and crime and serves as an attempt to identify and evaluate which individual risk factors can predict relapse. Relapse is measured in the variable “official recidivism”. To measure long-term AP and short-term AP, variables are created consisting of parental marriage, criminal older siblings, family size, crime among friends, concentration, restlessness, alcohol and drugs. The results show a link between high-long-term AP and official recidivism in crimes, as well as between high short-term AP and official recidivism in crimes. The variables parental marriage, criminal older siblings and crime among friends increase the risk of official recidivism at high long-term AP while the probability of official recidivism increases at high short-term AP amongst the variables restlessness and drug regardless of the existence of high long-term AP. The conclusion of the study is that the results do not support that the ICAP theory as a whole can be used as a predictor for official recidivism in crimes, as the high AP also exists within the group that has not relapsed in crimes.

A literatura psicológica é unânime em afirmar que o ambiente é um importante propulsor do desenvolvimento infantil. Assim, ao considerar a importância do meio, é preciso entender que a família exerce uma importante influência na criança, podendo auxiliar ou dificultar seu processo evolutivo. A partir de uma perspectiva transgeracional, é possível identificar a forma como ocorrem a transmissão psíquica e o processo estruturante da organização familiar, correspondente à herança familiar em nível inconsciente, que transfere aspectos intrapsíquicos e intersubjetivos. A tendência antissocial pode levar a um importante rompimento das expectativas que a sociedade e a família têm para com a criança, sendo que os sintomas que a caracterizam compreendem a presença de brigas, agressividade, oposição, mentiras, fugas, desobediência, entre outros. Sendo assim, o presente trabalho visou compreender os psicodinamismos familiares envolvidos no surgimento e na manutenção da tendência antissocial em uma criança do sexo feminino de cinco anos de idade, a partir da perspectiva da teoria da Transmissão Psíquica Transgeracional. Foi realizado um estudo de caso com a participação de uma família, cuja criança apresenta sintomas de tendência antissocial. Participaram desta pesquisa: a criança, seus pais, sua avó materna e sua avó paterna. A avaliação realizada compreendeu a utilização da Bateria Hammer para todos os participantes; Teste de Apercepção Temática Infantil e Teste das Matrizes Progressivas Coloridas de Raven para a criança; entrevista psicológica semiestruturada e Questionário de Capacidades e Dificuldades (SDQ-Por) para a mãe; e Teste de Apercepção Temática para todos os adultos. Os materiais foram analisados a partir de uma perspectiva clínica psicanalítica, além das cotações propostas pelos manuais dos instrumentos. A partir dos dados obtidos, nota-se que os sintomas da criança estão intimamente relacionados às angústias, sofrimentos e incertezas dos membros de sua família. As duas avós apresentam uma história que as aproxima e contribui para a compreensão familiar, sendo que ambas expressam uma dependência em relação ao outro, de forma que buscam relações que possam auxiliá-las a satisfazer suas necessidades. As avós e a mãe da criança sofreram privações emocionais ao longo da vida, relacionadas à ausência de figuras importantes, à separação prematura de seus pais e ao holding deficitário, sem encontrarem alguém para suprir-lhes as carências afetivas. A criança recebe a angústia dessas mulheres e seu desejo de mudança, por ela expressos através de sua impulsividade e agitação. Já o pai demonstra sentimento de inutilidade e futilidade frente ao mundo, o que o faz se distanciar da família e dos cuidados da filha. Como seus pais evidenciam a ausência de figuras de identificação para o exercício das funções parentais, a criança recebe conteúdos não elaborados, ligados a perdas, busca por holding, depressão e sensação de ser exigida além do que pode oferecer. Os contornos do Self infantil são pouco definidos¸ e a menina não se sente protegida por uma imposição segura de limites. Os sintomas da criança parecem ser uma maneira que ela encontrou para elaborar os conteúdos que lhe foram transmitidos, buscar ajuda e receber holding. Faz-se necessária uma intervenção nessa família, para que o tratamento da criança seja efetivo. Outras pesquisas devem ser realizadas, a fim de aprofundar o conhecimento sobre a temática. / The psychological literature is unanimous in stating that the environment plays a very important whole in children\'s development process. In so being, the family may help or hinder their healthy growth. From an intergenerational perspective, it is possible to identify how the psychic transmission and the structuring process of the family organization (corresponding to the family inheritance on an unconscious level) occur as to the transfer of intrapsychic and intersubjective aspects. The antisocial trend can cause a major disruption of the expectations that society and the family have for the child, and the symptoms that characterize such trend encompass the presence of quarrels, aggression, opposition, lies, escaping from reality, and disobedience, among others. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the family psychodynamics involved in the onset and maintenance of antisocial trend in a female child of five years old, from the perspective of the Psychic Transgenerational Transmission theory. A case study including the participation of her family was conducted. So, the child, her parents, her maternal grandmother and her paternal grandmother were included. The evaluation encompassed the use of Hammer Battery (with all the participants); Children Apperception Test and Raven\'s Coloured Progressive Matrices Test (with the child); psychological interview and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-Per) (with the mother); and Thematic Apperception Test with all adults. The data were analyzed from a psychoanalytic clinical perspective, together with the conjectures proposed by manual instruments. It can be noted that the child\'s symptoms are closely related to the anguish, suffering and uncertainty of the members of her family. Both grandmothers have similar life histories, expressing a dependency on others, that contributes to the understanding of their families. Both wish to get involved in relationships that could help them to meet their needs. The child\'s grandmothers and mother have suffered emotional deceptions throughout life, which are related to the absence of important figures, due to premature separation of their parents and consequent deficit of holding, and did not find other person to meet their affective needs. The child receives the distresses of these women and their wishes of changes in their lives, expressing such feelings through her impulsiveness and restlessness. Her father demonstrates a feeling of uselessness and futility as to the world, leading him to an emotional distance from his family and his daughter\'s care. So, the chill\'s parents reveal major losses that led to the absence of figures of identification in exercising their parental responsibilities. The child receives contents not well elaborated, related to loss, search for holding, depression and feeling of being required, but with no conditions to answer accordingly. The contours of the child\'s Self are poorly defined and the girl does not feel protected by secure imposing limits. The child\'s symptoms seem to be a way she found to elaborate contends and seek for help and holding. An intervention should be carried out with this family to help the child\'s treatment. Further researches should be conducted to deepen the knowledge on the subject.

Antisocial behaviors (AB), which place an enormous burden on society, are committed by a heterogeneous population, including psychopaths (Poythress et al., 2010). Psychopathy denotes a more serious and entrenched pattern of AB (Hare, 1996) and appears to be a heterogeneous construct as well. In fact, Primary and Secondary psychopathic variants are consistently identified in a variety of samples using person-centered analysis (Drislane et al., 2014; Gill & Stickle, 2016). Both Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (Gray & McNaughton, 2000) and the Triarchic Model of Psychopathy (Patrick, Fowles, & Krueger, 2009) provide useful frameworks to understand the etiology of the psychopathic variants. The current study identified Primary and Secondary Trait groups in a sample of criminally justice involved adults (N = 377), which differed on measures of negative emotionality. However, the Psychopathic trait groups did not differ on the boldness or meanness domains of the Triarchic Model (Patrick, Fowles & Kreuger). The disinhibition domain of the Triarchic model was significantly associated with aggression, and this association was partially mediated by levels of anxiety. Anxiety is an important dimension to assess in research, evaluation, and treatment of individuals with high levels of antisocial behavior. Keywords: Psychopathy, variants, Triarchic, measurement, antisocial behavior

Interview strategies applied in adult criminal justice settings focus on the interviewer and concentrate on obtaining information for the courts, while simultaneously neglecting a forensic understanding of interviewees, including the interviewee's decision-making and behavioral health impairments. As a consequence, there is a deficiency of evidence-based research regarding interview practices with persons diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Using social control and neutralization theories as the foundation, the purpose of this case study of a single justice system in the United States was to better understand the perspectives and experiences of ASPD diagnosed inmates (n =5) compared to incarcerated participants without any mental health diagnosis (n =5) regarding willingness to cooperate with the interviewer. Interview data were triangulated with the Gudjonsson Confession Questionnaire – Revised. Data were inductively coded and then subjected to a thematic analysis procedure. Results indicate that external and internal pressures, intoxication, perception of proof, involvement of third parties, and/or a lack of insight into diagnostic features of ASPD influenced decisions to cooperate with an interviewer, thereby impacting the quality of interview results. The positive social change implications of this study include recommendations to criminal justice systems to explore holistic interview strategies that may improve interview outcomes. Adhering to this recommendation may improve the quality of interviews and ensure that justice system objectives related to truthfulness and accuracy are enhanced as well as improve mental health outcomes of criminal offenders.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on December 14. 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-103).