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Blame attribution and guilt feelings in violent offenders

Johnsson, Malte ; Andersson, Benny ; Wallinius, Märta LU ; Hofvander, Björn LU ; Stahlberg, Ola ; Anckarsater, Henrik ; Billstedt, Eva and Radovic, Susanna (2014) In Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology 25(2). p.212-223
Abstract
Offenders with high psychopathic traits and/or antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) are hypothesised to experience less guilt and less responsibility for their actions than offenders without these problems. These hypotheses were tested and partly substantiated. The study investigates blame attributions and guilt feeling using Gudjonsson Blame Attribution Inventory-Revised (GBAI-R) for 177 young male violent offenders. GBAI scores were compared to ASPD and psychopathy according to the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised. Results showed that individuals with ASPD and those with higher degrees of psychopathy tended to report significantly less guilt and higher degree of mental control than other subjects. Another finding was a weak relationship... (More)
Offenders with high psychopathic traits and/or antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) are hypothesised to experience less guilt and less responsibility for their actions than offenders without these problems. These hypotheses were tested and partly substantiated. The study investigates blame attributions and guilt feeling using Gudjonsson Blame Attribution Inventory-Revised (GBAI-R) for 177 young male violent offenders. GBAI scores were compared to ASPD and psychopathy according to the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised. Results showed that individuals with ASPD and those with higher degrees of psychopathy tended to report significantly less guilt and higher degree of mental control than other subjects. Another finding was a weak relationship between ASPD, high scores on psychopathic traits and external attribution. We suggest these results might be explained by admitting poor mental control may be extra difficult for individuals belonging to either of these groups and that the external attribution items do not separate causal from moral responsibility. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
blame, responsibility, antisocial personality disorder, psychopathy, guilt
in
Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology
volume
25
issue
2
pages
212 - 223
publisher
Routledge
external identifiers
  • wos:000335847100007
  • scopus:84900006841
ISSN
1478-9957
DOI
10.1080/14789949.2014.903506
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
80735314-aae0-4373-9816-47191b1d1727 (old id 4559469)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:04:55
date last changed
2022-03-27 22:06:31
@article{80735314-aae0-4373-9816-47191b1d1727,
  abstract     = {{Offenders with high psychopathic traits and/or antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) are hypothesised to experience less guilt and less responsibility for their actions than offenders without these problems. These hypotheses were tested and partly substantiated. The study investigates blame attributions and guilt feeling using Gudjonsson Blame Attribution Inventory-Revised (GBAI-R) for 177 young male violent offenders. GBAI scores were compared to ASPD and psychopathy according to the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised. Results showed that individuals with ASPD and those with higher degrees of psychopathy tended to report significantly less guilt and higher degree of mental control than other subjects. Another finding was a weak relationship between ASPD, high scores on psychopathic traits and external attribution. We suggest these results might be explained by admitting poor mental control may be extra difficult for individuals belonging to either of these groups and that the external attribution items do not separate causal from moral responsibility.}},
  author       = {{Johnsson, Malte and Andersson, Benny and Wallinius, Märta and Hofvander, Björn and Stahlberg, Ola and Anckarsater, Henrik and Billstedt, Eva and Radovic, Susanna}},
  issn         = {{1478-9957}},
  keywords     = {{blame; responsibility; antisocial personality disorder; psychopathy; guilt}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{212--223}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  series       = {{Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology}},
  title        = {{Blame attribution and guilt feelings in violent offenders}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14789949.2014.903506}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/14789949.2014.903506}},
  volume       = {{25}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}