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Burghart M, Schmidt S, Mier D. Executive functions in psychopathy: a meta-analysis of inhibition, planning, shifting, and working memory performance. Psychol Med 2024:1-15. [PMID: 39229691 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291724001259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Much research has focused on executive function (EF) impairments in psychopathy, a severe personality disorder characterized by a lack of empathy, antisocial behavior, and a disregard for social norms and moral values. However, it is still unclear to what extent EF deficits are present across psychopathy factors and, more importantly, which EF domains are impaired. The current meta-analysis answers these questions by synthesizing the results of 50 studies involving 5,694 participants from 12 different countries. Using multilevel random-effects models, we pooled effect sizes (Cohen's d) for five different EF domains: overall EF, inhibition, planning, shifting, and working memory. Moreover, differences between psychopathy factors were evaluated. Our analyses revealed small deficits in overall EF, inhibition, and planning performance. However, a closer inspection of psychopathy factors indicated that EF deficits were specific to lifestyle/antisocial traits, such as disinhibition. Conversely, interpersonal/affective traits, such as boldness, showed no deficits and in some cases even improved EF performance. These findings suggest that EF deficits are not a key feature of psychopathy per se, but rather are related to antisociality and disinhibitory traits. Potential brain correlates of these findings as well as implications for future research and treatment are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Burghart
- Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Criminology, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sergej Schmidt
- Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Daniela Mier
- Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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Mariani F, Calandri I, Dansilio S. Criminal behaviors: A theory of mind problem? APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. ADULT 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38466873 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2024.2326935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Theory of mind (ToM) has been addressed in relation to functional alterations of certain brain regions and their connections. The objective is to evaluate ToM in imprisoned criminal offenders and to analyze their relationship with the functions linked to the prefrontal cortex according to their expression in neuropsychological tests. The sample was composed of 52 subjects. 27 committed instrumental homicides and 25 crimes of sale and/or possession of narcotics. A control group was taken, 19 healthy subjects at liberty. The Faux-Pas (FP) and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes tests were used. A neuropsychological battery of executive functions and functions related to the frontal lobes and Hare's Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) was also applied. The criminal groups have comparable performances in all measures. The control group (in freedom) showed higher performance, with statistical significance, in the Faux-Pas test. Moderate negative correlations were found between the FP and the PCL-R. A distinction between affective and cognitive ToM could be affirmed, with people deprived of liberty presenting deficient functioning in the cognitive ToM test. This difference in performance could be linked to the disruptive event with the social norm and not so much with the violent homicide act itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Mariani
- Institute of Fundamentals in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology
- Department of Neuropsychology Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Sergio Dansilio
- Institute of Fundamentals in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology
- Department of Neuropsychology Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay
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Chaguendo-Quintero MA, Quintero-Monjes D, Cuervo MT, Sanabria-Mazo JP. Alterations in executive functions in inmates convicted for violent behavior: a systematic review. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1066474. [PMID: 37663323 PMCID: PMC10468974 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1066474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The growth of the prison population and the high recidivism rates of inmates represent a major public safety problem. Objective This systematic review explored executive functions in inmates convicted of violent behavior compared with inmates convicted of non-violent behavior and healthy controls (HCs). Methods Systematic searches were carried out using five databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Embase) until March 6th, 2023. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, two reviewers independently performed the screening, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment of the 8 studies included. The protocol of this study was registered in Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), under registration number CRD42021252043. Results Consistently, inmates convicted of violent behavior exhibited a greater alteration in inhibition than inmates convicted of non-violent behavior (four out of four studies) and HCs (two out of two studies). In addition, inmates convicted of violent behavior showed greater impairments in cognitive flexibility (two out of three studies) and working memory (two out of three studies) than HCs. Although with limited evidence (only one study), they also showed worse performance in set shifting and planning than HCs. Conclusion This study provides evidence of alterations in inhibition in inmates convicted of violent behavior compared to inmates convicted of non-violent behavior and HCs. Even though inmates convicted of violent behavior showed greater impairments in planning and set shifting than HCs, these findings were supported in only one study. In general, more robust evidence is needed to confirm alterations in inmates convicted due to violent behavior. These findings highlight the importance of designing and promoting specific cognitive interventions that contribute to the reintegration of inmates into society. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021252043, identifier CRD42021252043.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Maria Teresa Cuervo
- Department of Social Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Cali, Colombia
| | - Juan P. Sanabria-Mazo
- Teaching, Research, and Innovation Unit, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Dèu, Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Basic, Developmental, and Educational Psychology, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Tärnhäll A, Björk J, Wallinius M, Gustafsson P, Billstedt E, Hofvander B. Healthcare utilization and psychiatric morbidity in violent offenders: findings from a prospective cohort study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2023; 58:617-628. [PMID: 36574014 PMCID: PMC10066109 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-022-02408-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Although persistent offenders with histories of imprisonment and violence have disproportionate high rates of psychiatric disorders, little is known of their psychiatric healthcare utilization (HCU) and HCU-associated factors. This study aimed to explore psychiatric HCU, psychiatric morbidity, and psychotropic prescription drugs in violent offenders with a history of incarceration. METHODS Male offenders aged 18-25 (n = 266) imprisoned for violent and/or physical sexual offenses were clinically assessed in 2010-2012 and prospectively followed in Swedish national registries through 2017. Register-based information regarding HCU, psychiatric morbidity, and psychotropic drugs was tracked and compared with a general population group (n = 10,000) and across offending trajectory groups. Baseline risk factors were used to explain prospective psychiatric HCU in violent offenders. RESULTS Violent offenders used less general healthcare and psychiatric outpatient care, but more psychiatric inpatient care and were more often given psychiatric diagnoses and psychotropic drugs than the general population. Participants previously assigned to persisting offending trajectory groups had higher rates of psychiatric HCU than those assigned to a desisting trajectory. In multivariable regression models, psychiatric HCU was associated with anxiety disorders, prior psychiatric contact, placement in a foster home, psychopathic traits, low intellectual functioning, and persistent offending. CONCLUSIONS Violent offenders are burdened by extensive and serious psychiatric morbidity and typically interact with psychiatric healthcare as inpatients rather than outpatients. Knowledge about their backgrounds, criminal behaviors, and psychiatric statuses can aid the planning of psychiatric services for this troublesome group.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Tärnhäll
- Lund Clinical Research on Externalizing and Developmental Psychopathology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Region Skåne, Malmö, Sweden.
- Centre of Ethics, Law and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Jonas Björk
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Märta Wallinius
- Lund Clinical Research on Externalizing and Developmental Psychopathology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Centre of Ethics, Law and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Research Department, Regional Forensic Psychiatric Clinic, Växjö, Sweden
| | - Peik Gustafsson
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Eva Billstedt
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Björn Hofvander
- Lund Clinical Research on Externalizing and Developmental Psychopathology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Region Skåne, Malmö, Sweden
- Centre of Ethics, Law and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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5
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Sivak L, Forsman J, Masterman T. Duration of forensic psychiatric care and subsequent criminal recidivism in individuals sentenced in Sweden between 2009 and 2019. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1129993. [PMID: 37009123 PMCID: PMC10053040 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1129993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundThe duration of forensic psychiatric care is in Sweden not determined at the time of sentencing; instead, offenders are regularly evaluated, often with regard to risk of criminal recidivism. The length and justifiability of such a sanction have been greatly debated; however, previous estimates of treatment duration based on datasets delimited to discharged patients—have provided an uncertain groundwork for these deliberations. The aim of this study was to use a more suitable approach to calculate average duration of forensic psychiatric care and to examine the relationship between length of treatment and subsequent recidivism after discharge.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study focused on offenders sentenced to forensic psychiatric care in Sweden between 2009 and 2019 and registered in the Swedish National Forensic Psychiatric Register (n = 2064), with a follow-up period until May 2020. We used Kaplan–Meier estimator to calculate and visualize treatment duration including analyses comparing levels of relevant variables, and then evaluated criminal recidivism in patients discharged from treatment between 2009 and 2019 (n = 640), after stratification for the same variables and dichotomization by treatment duration.ResultsThe median duration of forensic psychiatric care was estimated to 89.7 months (95% CI 83.2–95.8). Treatment was longer in offenders who committed violent crimes, suffered from psychosis, or had a history of substance use disorder, and in offenders whose sentences included special court supervision. The cumulative incidence of recidivism in patients discharged from treatment was estimated to 13.5% at 12 months (95% CI 10.6–16.2) and 19.5% at 24 months (95% CI 16.0–22.8). Corresponding cumulative incidence of violent crime post discharge was 6.3% at 12 months (95% CI 4.3–8.3) and 9.9% at 24 months (95% CI 7.3–12.4). Among other findings, in patients without a history of substance use disorder and patients whose sentences did not include special court supervision, recidivism was significantly higher in those with a shorter treatment duration.ConclusionUsing the entirety of a suitable, contemporary, prospectively enrolled cohort of mentally ill offenders, we were able to estimate—with greater accuracy than previous studies—the average duration of Swedish forensic psychiatric care and rate of subsequent criminal recidivism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenka Sivak
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Jonas Forsman
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Huddinge, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Jonas Forsman,
| | - Thomas Masterman
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Huddinge, Sweden
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Tärnhäll A, Björk J, Wallinius M, Gustafsson P, Hofvander B. Offending Trajectories in Violent Offenders: Criminal History and Early Life Risk Factors. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OFFENDER THERAPY AND COMPARATIVE CRIMINOLOGY 2023; 67:270-290. [PMID: 35435040 PMCID: PMC9806473 DOI: 10.1177/0306624x221086565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The understanding of offending, and thus its possible prevention, is expanded through longitudinal studies on criminal trajectories depicting early life risk factors. This longitudinal study aimed to explore criminal trajectories, criminal histories, and early life risk factors in a cohort of violent offenders. A Swedish nationally representative cohort of male violent offenders (n = 266), clinically assessed while imprisoned aged 18 to 25, was followed through national registers from age 15 to 25-34. Substantial differences in criminal histories between violent offenders and a matched comparison group (n = 10,000) were demonstrated. Five trajectory groups were identified: four persisting and one desisting. Although differences were observed between persisting trajectory groups, a higher prevalence of early life risk factors was generally displayed compared to the desisting, especially in conduct problems and experiences of out-of-home placements. Neurocognitive ability and prevalence of ADHD and autism were similar across trajectories. Severe early life risks highlight the population's need for early interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Tärnhäll
- LU-CRED, Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund,
Sweden
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry,
Region Skåne, Trelleborg, Sweden
- Centre of Ethics, Law and Mental
Health, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and
Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg,
Sweden
| | - Jonas Björk
- LU-CRED, Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund,
Sweden
| | - Märta Wallinius
- LU-CRED, Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund,
Sweden
- Centre of Ethics, Law and Mental
Health, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and
Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg,
Sweden
- Department of Occupational and
Environmental Medicine, Lund Universisty, Lund, Sweden
| | - Peik Gustafsson
- LU-CRED, Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund,
Sweden
| | - Björn Hofvander
- LU-CRED, Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund,
Sweden
- Centre of Ethics, Law and Mental
Health, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and
Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg,
Sweden
- Research Department, Regional Forensic
Psychiatric Clinic, Växjö, Sweden
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Zhang Y, Peng S, Wang J, Akhtar MN, Wang Y. Bad apples spoiling the metaphor? How and why self-serving leaders stir up counterproductive behaviors at work. Front Psychol 2023; 13:1008071. [PMID: 36778174 PMCID: PMC9908574 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1008071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-serving leaders satisfy their self-interests at the cost of both employees and organizations, leading to declining organizational competitive advantage and performance. Drawing upon the affective events theory (AET), we constructed and examined a theoretical model of self-serving leadership influencing counterproductive work behavior (CWB), where traditionality plays a significant moderating role through the lens of anger as a mediator. Data were collected in three waves using a survey questionnaire distributed in three industries located in the Southwest district of China. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted on a sample of 316 employees to test the hypothesized research model. The results showed that self-serving leadership triggers employee anger, which in turn causes CWB. Furthermore, traditionality plays a significant moderating role, in which employees with higher levels of traditionality feel less anger and show less CWB. Overall, research findings have clarified how and why self-serving leadership affects employees' emotions (such as anger) and behavior (such as CWB), bringing new insights into the self-serving leadership and employee behavior literature. Research implications on the management of self-serving leadership, limitations, and future recommendations of research are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Zhang
- School of Business Administration, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Guiyang, China
| | - Shuai Peng
- School of Business Administration, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Guiyang, China
| | - Jinsong Wang
- School of Business Administration, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Guiyang, China
| | - Muhammad Naseer Akhtar
- Royal Docks School of Business and Law, University of East London, London, United Kingdom,*Correspondence: Muhammad Naseer Akhtar, ✉
| | - Yongqi Wang
- International College, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, China
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Khawar R, Amin R, Zulfqar A, Hussain S, Hussain B, Muqaddas F. Dark personality traits and entrepreneurial intentions among Pakistani university students: The role of executive functions and academic intent to entrepreneurship. Front Psychol 2022; 13:989775. [DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.989775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
This study examined the mediating role of core Executive Functions (EF: working memory and inhibitory control) and moderating role of Perceived Academic Intent to Entrepreneurship (PAIE) in relationship between Dark Personality Traits (SDT) and Entrepreneurial Intentions (EI) of university students. A sample of 539 university students enrolled in various undergraduate and postgraduate programs completed the Short Dark Triad-3 (SD3), Adult Executive Functioning Inventory (ADEXI), and measures for assessing Entrepreneurial Intent and Perceived Academic Intent to Entrepreneurship. The results showed that of SDT, only Machiavellianism was significantly associated with EI. Both of the core executive functions and PAIE were also positively correlated with EI. Moreover, findings showed that EF positively mediated the relationship between Machiavellian disposition and entrepreneurial intention, while perceived academic intent to entrepreneurship moderated the relationship between executive functions and EI. A significant moderated mediation index was also reported. Findings offer useful insight to the interplay among above mentioned variables and guide educational and organizational psychologists to employ core cognitive strategies for promoting entrepreneurial thoughts and channelizing the productive energies of students with malevolent tendencies through academic coaching.
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Winters DE, Sakai JT, Carter RM. Resting-state network topology characterizing callous-unemotional traits in adolescence. Neuroimage Clin 2021; 32:102878. [PMID: 34911187 PMCID: PMC8604808 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Callous-unemotional (CU) traits, a youth antisocial phenotype, are hypothesized to associate with aberrant connectivity (dis-integration) across the salience (SAL), default mode (DMN), and frontoparietal (FPN) networks. However, CU traits have a heterogeneous presentation and previous research has not modeled individual heterogeneity in resting-state connectivity amongst adolescents with CU traits. The present study models individual-specific network maps and examines topological features of individual and subgroup maps in relation to CU traits. METHODS Participants aged 13-17 (n = 84, male = 55%, female = 45%) completed resting-state functional connectivity and the inventory of callous-unemotional traits as part of the Nathan Klein Rockland study. A sparse network approach (GIMME) was used to derive individual-level and subgroup maps of all participants. We then examined heterogeneous network features, including positive and negative connection density, associated with CU traits. RESULTS Higher rates of CU traits increased probability of inclusion in one subgroup, which had the highest mean level of CU traits. Analysis of network features reveals less density (positive and negative) within the FPN and greater density between DMN-FPN associated with CU traits. DISCUSSION Findings indicate heterogeneous person-specific connections and some subgroup connections amongst adolescents associate with CU traits. Higher CU traits associate with lower density in the FPN, which has been associated with attention and inhibition, and higher density between the DMN-FPN, which have been linked with cognitive control, social working memory, and empathy. Our findings suggest less efficiency in FPN function which, when considered mechanistically, could result in difficulty suppressing DMN when task positive networks are engaged. This is an area for further exploration but could explain cognitive and socio-affective impairments in CU traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew E Winters
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - Joseph T Sakai
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - R McKell Carter
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA; Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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Abstract
This paper proposes a model for developmental psychopathology that is informed by recent research suggestive of a single model of mental health disorder (the p factor) and seeks to integrate the role of the wider social and cultural environment into our model, which has previously been more narrowly focused on the role of the immediate caregiving context. Informed by recently emerging thinking on the social and culturally driven nature of human cognitive development, the ways in which humans are primed to learn and communicate culture, and a mentalizing perspective on the highly intersubjective nature of our capacity for affect regulation and social functioning, we set out a cultural-developmental approach to psychopathology.
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Leshem R, De Fano A, Ben-Soussan TD. The Implications of Motor and Cognitive Inhibition for Hot and Cool Executive Functions: The Case of Quadrato Motor Training. Front Psychol 2020; 11:940. [PMID: 32508720 PMCID: PMC7250031 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Enabling the ceasing of ongoing or prepotent responses and the controlling of interference, motor inhibition facilitates the development of executive functions (EFs) such as thought before action, decision-making, self-regulation of affect, motivation, and arousal. In the current paper, a characterization is offered of the relationship between motor inhibition and the executive functioning system, in the context of a proposed division into predominantly affective (hot) and cognitive (cool) components corresponding to neural trajectories originating in the prefrontal cortex. This division is central to understanding the effects of a specifically-structured sensorimotor movement training practice, known as Quadrato Motor Training (QMT), on hot and cool EFs. QMT's effects on crucial mechanisms of integrating different EF components are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rotem Leshem
- Department of Criminology, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Antonio De Fano
- Research Institute for Neuroscience, Education and Didactics, Patrizio Paoletti Foundation, Assisi, Italy
| | - Tal Dotan Ben-Soussan
- Research Institute for Neuroscience, Education and Didactics, Patrizio Paoletti Foundation, Assisi, Italy
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12
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Seidl H, Nilsson T, Hofvander B, Billstedt E, Wallinius M. Personality and Cognitive Functions in Violent Offenders - Implications of Character Maturity? Front Psychol 2020; 11:58. [PMID: 32047465 PMCID: PMC6997269 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research has suggested that personality and cognitive functions are essential in the emergence of persistent aggressive antisocial behaviors and that character maturity could be an important protective factor against these behaviors. The aims of this study were (1) to determine associations between personality traits, intellectual ability, and executive function in young male violent offenders, and (2) to investigate differences in intellectual ability and executive function between groups of violent offenders with low, medium, and high character maturity. A cohort of 148 male violent offenders (18–25 years of age) participated in this study. The Temperament and Character Inventory was used as a self-report measure of personality traits, and cognitive functions were measured with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Third Edition and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Intellectual ability was negatively correlated to the temperament dimension Harm Avoidance and the character dimension Self-Transcendence, and positively correlated to the character dimensions Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness and the temperament dimension Novelty Seeking. Visual sustained attention correlated positively to the temperament dimension Persistence and negatively to the temperament dimension Harm Avoidance. Spatial working memory correlated negatively to the character dimension Cooperativeness. Character maturity, however, did not affect intellectual and executive functions to a statistically significant degree. Our findings indicate that offender personality characteristics such as optimism, responsibility, empathy, curiosity, and industry that would seem more favorable to positive intervention outcomes are related to better cognitive functioning. Possible implications are that interventions in offender populations could be more effective if tailored to participants’ personality dimensions and cognitive proficiencies, rather than offered as “one size fits all.”
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas Nilsson
- Centre for Ethics, Law and Mental Health, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Forensic Psychiatry, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Björn Hofvander
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Research Unit, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Eva Billstedt
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Märta Wallinius
- Centre for Ethics, Law and Mental Health, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Research Unit, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Research Department, Regional Forensic Psychiatric Clinic, Växjö, Sweden
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13
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Rowlands A, Fisher M, Mishra J, Nahum M, Brandrett B, Reinke M, Caldwell M, Kiehl KA, Vinogradov S. Cognitive Training for Very High Risk Incarcerated Adolescent Males. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:225. [PMID: 32351409 PMCID: PMC7175987 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Persistent violent and antisocial behavior, as manifested in conduct disorder (CD) traits, are associated with a range of cognitive deficits. Individuals with more severe cognitive deficits are more likely to commit violent crimes. Currently, no treatments target improving cognition in high-risk CD youth. This pilot study tests the feasibility and efficacy of delivering intensive tablet-based cognitive training (CT) to adolescent males incarcerated in a youth maximum-security prison. METHODS Participants were fourteen adolescent males, diagnosed with CD. All participants completed up to 30 h of unsupervised, intensive, adaptive CT exercises that targeted multiple neurocognitive domains, as well as a battery of standardized neurocognitive measures and computerized assessments at baseline and post-training. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE At baseline, participants exhibited significant impairments on neurocognitive measures, relative to age-matched healthy controls. Twelve participants completed training and showed evidence of target engagement, as indexed by improvement in cognitive processing speed. Significant gains were observed in measures of global cognition, with additional gains in cognitive flexibility at trend level significance. Improvements in these measures were positively related to total training time. In summary, both assessments and intervention appear to be feasible, tolerable, and acceptable in incarcerated youth. Intensive CT shows preliminary efficacy in improving neurocognitive performance in key domains, with large effect sizes, and significant performance improvement associations with the time in training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abby Rowlands
- School of Nursing, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Melissa Fisher
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Jyoti Mishra
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Mor Nahum
- Posit Science Inc., San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Benjamin Brandrett
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Michael Reinke
- Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Michael Caldwell
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Kent A Kiehl
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico and Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Sophia Vinogradov
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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