Emotion dysregulation – A bridge between ACE and aggressive antisocial behavior
(2023) In Journal of Criminal Justice 88.- Abstract
Purpose: Forensic populations have high prevalence rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACE), but specific pathways from childhood victimization to adult victimizing behavior remain unclear. Difficulties in emotion regulation may prove to be a more proximal risk factor that functions as a pathway between ACE and aggressive antisocial behavior (AAB). In this study, we investigated concurrent associations between ACE, AAB, and difficulties in emotion regulation and tested the mediational role of emotion dysregulation. Methods: A forensic psychiatric inpatient sample (N = 97) was recruited from a maximum-security forensic psychiatric hospital in Sweden. Data were collected through file reviews and self-reports and analyzed with... (More)
Purpose: Forensic populations have high prevalence rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACE), but specific pathways from childhood victimization to adult victimizing behavior remain unclear. Difficulties in emotion regulation may prove to be a more proximal risk factor that functions as a pathway between ACE and aggressive antisocial behavior (AAB). In this study, we investigated concurrent associations between ACE, AAB, and difficulties in emotion regulation and tested the mediational role of emotion dysregulation. Methods: A forensic psychiatric inpatient sample (N = 97) was recruited from a maximum-security forensic psychiatric hospital in Sweden. Data were collected through file reviews and self-reports and analyzed with mediation and correlation analyses. Results: Widespread bivariate associations among the study variables emerged, with small to moderate effect sizes. Distinct emotion regulation difficulties had unique relations to ACE and to different forms of AAB respectively. Evidence of significant indirect effects was limited and inconsistent across different types of analyses. Conclusions: Deficits in emotion regulation might be an important target of change in efforts to reduce AAB in forensic psychiatric patients with past ACE exposure. Attention to different dimensions of emotion regulation is crucial to deliver comprehensive interventions.
(Less)
- author
- Meddeb, Adam LU ; Garofalo, Carlo ; Karlén, Malin Hildebrand and Wallinius, Märta LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023-09-01
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- ACE, Aggressive antisocial behavior, Crime, Emotion regulation, Forensic psychiatry, Mediation
- in
- Journal of Criminal Justice
- volume
- 88
- article number
- 102110
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85170669620
- ISSN
- 0047-2352
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2023.102110
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 8324443c-0f7b-4f4b-b7b8-7de289d039b1
- date added to LUP
- 2023-12-11 13:46:30
- date last changed
- 2023-12-11 13:48:13
@article{8324443c-0f7b-4f4b-b7b8-7de289d039b1,
abstract = {{<p>Purpose: Forensic populations have high prevalence rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACE), but specific pathways from childhood victimization to adult victimizing behavior remain unclear. Difficulties in emotion regulation may prove to be a more proximal risk factor that functions as a pathway between ACE and aggressive antisocial behavior (AAB). In this study, we investigated concurrent associations between ACE, AAB, and difficulties in emotion regulation and tested the mediational role of emotion dysregulation. Methods: A forensic psychiatric inpatient sample (N = 97) was recruited from a maximum-security forensic psychiatric hospital in Sweden. Data were collected through file reviews and self-reports and analyzed with mediation and correlation analyses. Results: Widespread bivariate associations among the study variables emerged, with small to moderate effect sizes. Distinct emotion regulation difficulties had unique relations to ACE and to different forms of AAB respectively. Evidence of significant indirect effects was limited and inconsistent across different types of analyses. Conclusions: Deficits in emotion regulation might be an important target of change in efforts to reduce AAB in forensic psychiatric patients with past ACE exposure. Attention to different dimensions of emotion regulation is crucial to deliver comprehensive interventions.</p>}},
author = {{Meddeb, Adam and Garofalo, Carlo and Karlén, Malin Hildebrand and Wallinius, Märta}},
issn = {{0047-2352}},
keywords = {{ACE; Aggressive antisocial behavior; Crime; Emotion regulation; Forensic psychiatry; Mediation}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{09}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Journal of Criminal Justice}},
title = {{Emotion dysregulation – A bridge between ACE and aggressive antisocial behavior}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2023.102110}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2023.102110}},
volume = {{88}},
year = {{2023}},
}