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The present study focuses on the phenomenology of the violent encounter, and is to be understood as the study of the violent encounter as a phenomenon, i.e. as experienced. The overall aim is to elucidate, analyse and describe violent encounters within psychiatric care as experienced by carers and patients. Moreover, the study aims at promoting the development of a phenomenological research approach in caring science in general and elucidating tacit caring knowledge in particular. The thesis includes three empirical studies and one methodological study. The research is guided by a phenomenological and lifeworld theoretical approach. Research data consist of narratives and qualitative interviews, as well as reenactment interviews with carers and patients. Data are analysed for meaning. The analysis and synthesis of meaning are aimed at openness and meaning sensitivity through a reflective attitude characterised by the intent to bridle the process of understanding. The goal of the analysis is to describe the general structure of the phenomenon and its meaning constituents. The result shows that violence and threat do not evolve in “naked” caring, characterised by encounters where carers are able to touch their patients at the same time as being touched, speaking both literally and figuratively. It is through “naked” caring and caring touch that the carers are able to reach the patients and to give undisguised invitations to genuine presence. The possibilities of touch rely on the carers’ capacity to be authentic and to genuinely wish well. Violence is on the contrary nourished by touch without caring intention, or non-touch, i.e. caring where the reciprocity of touching and being touched is missing between patients and caregivers. In the discussion, the different meanings of the violent encounter are related to the philosophy of Merleau-Ponty and Lévinas. The philosophical dimensions of touch are investigated and it is discussed how the “naked” encounter can be understood from a phenomenological ethical standpoint. The discussion focuses on the caregivers’ vulnerability and the high demands they are subjected to. It is also argued that a foundation of caring science is needed in caring practice in order to make possible a development of a caring attitude that prevents violence.

This is a small scale research conducted by a Game Design student about attraction to a game concept of violent nature. A survey was executed and launched on social media such as Facebook to gain many participants in a short period of time. They were asked how attracted they were to the graphics of the concept and also if and how much money they would pay for a game like it. One of the most important parts of this research is that the participators are of a mixed group when it comes to age and gender, but also location, since these things tend to control our environment which in turn can shape a person and their morals. The results are presented in simple graphs and discussed together with results from similar research regarding violent games and how they affect the players and in turn society. Despite the violent contents of the graphics used in the survey, the most popular rating indicates that many participants are attracted to it and that they would consider paying for such a game.

Syftet med denna studie var att genom intervjuer beskriva olika betingelser som motiverar män att söka hjälp för sitt våldsutövande i nära relationer samt beskriva olika betingelser som är avgörande för om man fullföljer den planerade behandlingen eller inte. Den tredje frågeställning var om de här beskrivningarna kunde ge idéer om vilka behandlingsinslag som bidrar till att män fullföljer behandlingen som syftar till att man slutar använda våld. Tre män intervjuades tre gånger under sin behandling, det vill säga i början, i mitten och i slutet av behandlingen. Intervjuerna genomfördes under sammanlagt sex månader. Intervjuerna följde en intervjuguide och var halvstrukturerade. Gemensamt för alla tre män som är avgörande för att de söker hjälp och fullföljer sin behandling är när de upplevde att deras våldshandlingar fick allvarliga konsekvenser både för sig själva och för sin omgivning. En annan avgörande motiverande faktor för dessa män var att de upplevde att gruppledarna för behandlingsgruppen gav utrymme för allas berättelser. Männen uttrycker att de får ett utrymme för att själva reflektera över den situation som de befinner sig i utan en alltför styrande, kontrollerande attityd från gruppledarna. Detta förhållningssätt från gruppledarna verkar stärka männens motivation till att fortsätta behandlingen och därmed göra förändringen möjligt.  Mötet med de andra deltagarna är en central motivationsfaktor för att genomföra behandlingen. Känslan att man inte är ensam, att man delar med sig av sina egna erfarenheter, att man känner igen sig, att se värre konsekvenser för andra deltagare är viktiga faktorer i förändringsarbetet. Motivationen verkar vara motorn eller drivkraften i själva förändringsarbetet. Denna undersökning pekar i riktning att motivationen verkligen är en dynamisk och föränderlig process som påverkas av många olika komponenter, inte minst i relation till andra människor.

Current literature suggests that the Level of Service Inventory (LSI) and its derivatives (LSI-R, LS/CMI, LSI-OR) are capable of predicting violent recidivism, even though they were not initially designed for this function (Girard & Wormith, 2004; Mills & Kroner, 2006). The purpose of this study was to generate violence prediction scales, based on items or subscales from the LSI-OR, using five different statistical techniques. These analyses were completed on the full construction sample, then the males and the females separately to determine how the scales differ from each other and what, if any, benefits would accrue from utilizing a gender-specific scale.<p> A cohort of 27,027 offenders who were released from custody or entered into community supervision over a one year period was included in the study. There was an average followup time of 4.4 years. In this sample there was a general recidivism rate of 36.0% and a violent recidivism rate of 11.3%. Fifteen violence prediction scales were generated that ranged in predictive validity from r = .139 to r = .214. The scale with the highest predictive validity was the 11 item scale created from the full sample using the item linear regression technique. The scale contained items indicating that history of assault, lack of education and anger management issues were related to violent recidivism. Risk levels were developed for this new scale to classify offenders from very low to very high risk.<p> Although there was little difference in the predictive validity of the generated scales, the stepwise multiple linear regression technique was identified as the most successful method of creating a tool for predicting violent recidivism. There was no increase in predictive validity when using the scale that was developed for just the females in the sample, although fewer items were consistently generated for females than males. Therefore the full sample item linear regression scale is recommended for the prediction of violent recidivism of both male and female offenders in the jurisdiction from which the data were collected. Future research directions may replicate this study in other populations and further analyze the gender differences in violent recidivism.

The present review focuses on understanding the explanatory mechanisms behind the use of violence within intimate relationships, highlighting the consequences of adolescents’ exposure to Inter-parental violence and gauging the role of their (adolescents) appraisal and coping strategies. The theories reviewed stress the significant impact of close figures’ behaviors on the developing child and adolescent trough observational and imitational processes, secure and insecure attachment patterns and related internal working models as well as trough building own understanding of the world and human interrelations. The review revealed also that adolescents’ exposure to Inter-parental violence constituted an unequivocal risk factor leading to a range of consequences categorized as internalizing and externalizing problems. It however indicates that the outcome behaviors are not a result of a linear process because there is range of mediating factors that explain the association between adolescents’ exposure to Inter-parental violence and outcome behaviors. Finally, appraisal of Inter-parental violence was identified as a central mechanism that impacts both the magnitude of the consequences of exposure and the adolescents’ conception and execution of coping strategies.

Current literature suggests that the Level of Service Inventory (LSI) and its derivatives (LSI-R, LS/CMI, LSI-OR) are capable of predicting violent recidivism, even though they were not initially designed for this function (Girard & Wormith, 2004; Mills & Kroner, 2006). The purpose of this study was to generate violence prediction scales, based on items or subscales from the LSI-OR, using five different statistical techniques. These analyses were completed on the full construction sample, then the males and the females separately to determine how the scales differ from each other and what, if any, benefits would accrue from utilizing a gender-specific scale.<p> A cohort of 27,027 offenders who were released from custody or entered into community supervision over a one year period was included in the study. There was an average followup time of 4.4 years. In this sample there was a general recidivism rate of 36.0% and a violent recidivism rate of 11.3%. Fifteen violence prediction scales were generated that ranged in predictive validity from r = .139 to r = .214. The scale with the highest predictive validity was the 11 item scale created from the full sample using the item linear regression technique. The scale contained items indicating that history of assault, lack of education and anger management issues were related to violent recidivism. Risk levels were developed for this new scale to classify offenders from very low to very high risk.<p> Although there was little difference in the predictive validity of the generated scales, the stepwise multiple linear regression technique was identified as the most successful method of creating a tool for predicting violent recidivism. There was no increase in predictive validity when using the scale that was developed for just the females in the sample, although fewer items were consistently generated for females than males. Therefore the full sample item linear regression scale is recommended for the prediction of violent recidivism of both male and female offenders in the jurisdiction from which the data were collected. Future research directions may replicate this study in other populations and further analyze the gender differences in violent recidivism.

The study proposed to distinguish differences in perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence (i.e., Common Couple Violence and Patriarchal Terrorism) due to the mediating effect of their presentations of narcissism (covert and overt). Distinguishing perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence by their narcissistic presentations should assist clinicians in batterer treatment programs to create specific lessons/interventions for perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence based on their narcissistic quality. The study of a cross-section of men in a Batterer Intervention Program included measures on self-perception, views of partner, and history of violent, aggressive, controlling, and psychologically abusive interactions with their partner. Structural Equation Modeling with Analysis of Moment Structures was used to determine the structure and function of narcissism and interpersonal violence. Intimate Partner Violence was distinguishable as Common Couple Violence or Patriarchal Terrorism, but the results were not sufficiently conclusive to warrant an absolute classification system. Overt Narcissism was somewhat useful in distinguishing Patriarchal Terrorism from Common Couple Violence by mediating the effects of violent behaviors, controlling behaviors, and psychological abuse when mediated by type of narcissism. That information is useful for clinicians interested in creating targeted interventions to participants in Batterer Intervention Programs to reduce Intimate Partner Violence and violent recidivism. Specifically, Common Couple Violence was described by the number of times the participant physically injured the partner over the past year, the total number of conflict tactics used, and whether their partner needed medical attention following physical injury. Patriarchal Terrorism was described by psychological abuse and controlling behaviors. Overt Narcissism increased Patriarchal Terrorism, whereas, Covert Narcissism did not assist in distinguishing Common Couple Violence from Patriarchal Terrorism. The mediating effect that Covert Narcissism had on violent behaviors, controlling behaviors, and psychological abuse was weak. Overt Narcissism is a more useful construct when identifying potential Patriarchal Terrorists, while Covert Narcissism was not found to provide additional detail to either Patriarchal Terrorism or Common Couple Violence. Knowing the differing and similar impacts of those constructs can potentially grant greater clinical effectiveness with perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence.

Thesis (D. Phil.(Krim.)--Universiteit van Pretoria, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 327-351).