Emotion regulation, mindfulness, and alexithymia: Specific or general impairments in sexual, violent, and homicide offenders?
Gillespie,Steven Garofalo,C. Velotti,Patrizia
Gillespie,Steven
Garofalo,C.
Velotti,Patrizia
Abstract
Purpose Problems in emotional functioning have been identified as a risk factor for both sexual and violent offending, yet the precise pattern of impairment in emotional functioning that is experienced by sexual and violent offenders remains unclear. Methods In this study, we examined self-reported difficulties in emotion regulation, the use of different strategies for regulating emotions, levels of trait alexithymia, and dispositional mindfulness in men with a history of sexual offending, non-sexual violent offending, homicide, and community controls. Results A comparison between these groups showed that while sexual offenders had some circumscribed difficulties in emotional nonacceptance, violent offenders showed more generalized problems in emotional nonacceptance, alexithymia, and mindfulness. In contrast, homicide offenders reported few difficulties compared with other offender groups. Conclusions Our results have implications for the allocation of individuals to treatment modules aimed at improving emotion regulation to reduce negative affect and offending behavior.
Description
Date
2018
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Research Projects
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Keywords
AGGRESSION, ANGER, Aggression, Alexithymia, CROSS-VALIDATION, DYSREGULATION, EFFORTFUL CONTROL, Emotion regulation, ITEM SELECTION, Mindfulness, Negative affect, PERSONALITY-DISORDER, QUESTIONNAIRE, REGULATION SCALE, SELF-REGULATION, Sexual abuse, SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Citation
Gillespie, S, Garofalo, C & Velotti, P 2018, 'Emotion regulation, mindfulness, and alexithymia : Specific or general impairments in sexual, violent, and homicide offenders?', Journal of Criminal Justice, vol. 58, pp. 56-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2018.07.006