The Prison Adjusted Measure of Aggression (PAMA): Psychometric characteristics of a new tool measuring change in aggressive behaviors in correctional settings

Exploring the impact of trauma-adapted yoga in forensic psychiatry

The specialized field of forensic psychiatry deals with the care of criminal offenders who suffer from severe mental disorders. As this field is positioned at the intersection of illness, crime, and security, it poses complex challenges. While high-quality clinical studies in forensic psychiatry settings are limited, recent investigations have suggested yoga as a complementary clinical tool within correctional environments. This report of a quasi-experimental study examines the impact of a 10-week trauma-adapted yoga intervention on mental health, antisocial and aggressive behaviors, pain perception, cravings, and character maturity among 56 patients in various forensic psychiatry clinics across Sweden. In the current study, the yoga group demonstrated noteworthy reductions in negative affect states, anxiety, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideations, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, and overall psychological distress. These reductions were not observed in the comparison group. Additionally, the yoga group exhibited a significant decrease in pain frequency and strengthened self-directedness. However, there were no significant changes in aggressive, antisocial, or self-harm behaviors or cravings in either group. The between-group analyses did not yield significant results, except for pain intensity. The trauma-adapted yoga intervention implemented within forensic psychiatry settings shows feasibility and results in multiple positive changes in patients' health.

Measurement properties of the life history of aggression in adolescents: Data from Morocco, Serbia, Sweden, Vietnam, and the USA

The Life History of Aggression (LHA) is a frequently used scale for assessing trait aggression, but its psychometric properties have not been evaluated among adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the LHA among high school students from Morocco, Serbia, Sweden, Vietnam, and the United States of America (USA). The total sample included 4867 adolescents, aged 15-19 years, from Morocco (n = 508), Serbia (n = 1067), Sweden (n = 1570), Vietnam (n = 1401), and the USA (n = 321). A two-factor, nine-item model containing an aggression factor (5 items) and a consequences/antisocial behavior factor (4 items) was created. The two-factor model had an acceptable-to-good model fit for the data for the total sample and all five countries, including gender. Cronbach's alpha (α) was satisfactory across countries. Still, the construct was noninvariant across countries and genders. The LHA with nine items in two subscales showed sound construct validity and internal consistency and can be used for group-level or within-group assessments of trait aggression in adolescents by either gender or country. However, it should not be used for cross-gender or cross-country comparisons due to a lack of measurement invariance.

Yoga as Complementary Care for Young People Placed in Juvenile Institutions-A Study Plan

Recent studies have established yoga practice as a mainstream complementary clinical tool within correctional environments. It is shown that regular yoga practice is coupled with improved impulse control, sustained attention, attenuated antisocial and self-harm behaviors, reduced stress, and psychological distress. No academic research until now has provided evidence of mental health benefits of yoga for institutionalized young people. In Sweden, each year more than thousand adolescents receive compulsory care at juvenile institutions run by the Swedish National Board of Institutional Care. These young people are characterized by substance abuse, aggressive and antisocial behaviors, high frequency of self-harm, and the experience of abuse. Most of them manifest attention problems, depression, anxiety, and impulsivity. They have a dramatically increased risk for recidivistic criminal behavior, continuous medical, and social care and untimely death. The present study plan aims at evaluating, with previously validated psychological measures, in a quasi-experimental design, the effects of yoga practice for institutionalized adolescents. Adolescents' experiences of participating in yoga practice will also be assessed by semi-structured individual interviews. Ethical approval was given by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority. It is hypothesized that yoga practice (in combination with the standard treatment within institutional care) will reduce institutionalized adolescents' aggression, antisocial behavior, anxiety, depression, and negative affect, and increase their cognitive flexibility (in the form of increased impulse control).

The Level of Aggressiveness During Karate Practice of Inmates in Correctional Settings

Karate is known to enhance cognitive functioning, emotional well-being, and self-regulation and to contribute to an overall behavior rehabilitation process. However, few data are available on the impact of practicing karate in adult prison inmates. The main objective of this research was to evaluate aggressive behavior, comparing prison inmates and club practitioners during karate practice. The level of aggressiveness was rated by observers during defined elements and training situations in karate classes held in France. Data were collected during 77 observations of 75 prison inmates (55 male and 20 female) in a prison setting, and 188 observations of 117 club practitioners (80 male and 37 female) in a club setting over a period of 26 months. Licit aggressiveness was graded by observers during launched actions, kiais, and bows, and the practice level (belts) was also considered. Interrater reliability of the observational measure was highly acceptable (Cohen κ = 1). Comparisons between female and male prison inmates and club practitioners were made using the non-parametric Mann–Whitney U-test for independent samples. The results revealed that a higher level of aggressiveness was observed in both male and female club practitioners during launched actions and kiais than in prison inmate practitioners (p < 0.001, small effect size). However, prison inmates (of both genders) showed a higher level of aggressiveness during bows (p < 0.001, medium effect size). While the analyses showed no significant differences between genders, the level of karate practice was associated with distinct changes. Significant differences in observed aggressiveness were present only in beginners and in those with a low level of karate practice, whereas no differences in aggressiveness between prison or club practitioners were observed during karate practice in those with a high level of karate practice (black belt). However, these results must be interpreted with caution as there was no way to control the multiple factors that might also affect inmate behaviors in a correctional setting. We suggest that karate practice in prison may positively contribute to interactional behaviors.