Advantages and Challenges Using Psychological Tests in the Assessment of Suicide Bombers and Lone Actors

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilan Diamant
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Threat Assessment ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Assessment Instruments ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Projective Tests ◽  
Personality Styles ◽  
Suicide Bombers ◽  
Psychological Instruments

This report discusses the advantages and challenges in using direct psychological personality profile and psychodynamic assessments (corresponding to Otto Kernberg’s model of personally organization) of suicide bombers and lone actors. Two studies that administered various psychological instruments (i.e., self-report inventories, semi-structured interviews, and projective tests) were used to assess these subjects in a prison setting, before or after their trial. Main findings showed that suicide bombers displayed low levels of ego strength with dependent and/or avoidant personality styles, while most of the lone actors presented evidence of psychiatric histories. Also, the main methodological advantages and challenges of the assessment procedures and instruments utilized are discussed. Self-report inventories were found to be less valid. In contrast, semi-structured interviews assisted in identifying a more comprehensive theoretical understanding of both personality dynamics and the discerning of traumatic experiences in participants’ background related primarily to their family history. Projective tests had limited and restricted responses i.e., lacked the necessary complexity. This pattern likely reflected those participants with either limited mental resources, maladaptive personality styles, or hostile responses toward their assessors. Future directions are discussed in a psycho-cultural theoretical perspective regarding the development risk/threat assessment instruments to discern potential perpetrators who are victims of trauma in families living under specific cultural contexts. We assume that these victims’ manifest dissociation defences, present tendencies to activate mobilization, and immobilization energetic systems. These systems evoke complex behaviour patterns triggering suicidal tendencies coupled with rage tendencies aiming to end the lives of others, in this context, perceived political enemies.

QEEG, Self-Report Scales & Structured Interviews in the Comparative Experimental Assessment of Trauma Therapies

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Williams ◽  
Rick Bradshaw ◽  
Marvin McDonald ◽  
Michael Mariano ◽  
Nadia Larsen
Keyword(s):  
Self Report ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Experimental Assessment

scholarly journals A meta-analysis on individual differences in primary emotional systems and Big Five personality traits

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Marengo ◽  
Kenneth L. Davis ◽  
Gökçe Özkarar Gradwohl ◽  
Christian Montag
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Big Five ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Big Five Personality Traits ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
Affective Neuroscience ◽  
Emotional Systems

AbstractThe Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales (ANPS) were constructed as a self-report assessment to measure individual differences in Jaak Panksepp’s cross-species primary emotional systems: SEEKING, PLAY, CARE (positive emotions) and FEAR, SADNESS, ANGER (negative emotions). Beginning with the first published work on the ANPS in 2003, individual differences on the ANPS measures of these six primary emotional systems have been consistently linked to Big Five personality traits. From a theoretical perspective, these primary emotional systems arising from subcortical regions, shed light on the nature of the Big Five personality traits from an evolutionary perspective, because each of these primary emotional systems represent a tool for survival endowing mammalian species with inherited behavioral programs to react appropriately to complex environments. The present work revisited 21 available samples where both ANPS and Big Five measures have been administered. Our meta-analytical analysis provides solid evidence that high SEEKING relates to high Openness to Experience, high PLAY to high Extraversion, high CARE/low ANGER to high Agreeableness and high FEAR/SADNESS/ANGER to high Neuroticism. This seems to be true regardless of the ANPS inventory chosen, although much more work is needed in this area. Associations between primary emotional systems and Conscientiousness were in the lower effect size area across all six primary emotions, thereby supporting the idea that Conscientiousness rather seems to be less directly related with the subcortical primary emotions and likely is the most cognitive/cortical personality construct out of the Big Five. In sum, the present work underlines the idea that individual differences in primary emotional systems represent evolutionarily ancient foundations of human personality, given their a) meaningful links to the prominent Big Five model and b) their origins lying in subcortical areas of the human brain.

Childhood trauma moderates morphometric associations between orbitofrontal cortex and amygdala: implications for pathological personality traits

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Nadia Bounoua ◽  
Rickie Miglin ◽  
Jeffrey M. Spielberg ◽  
Curtis L. Johnson ◽  
Naomi Sadeh
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Orbitofrontal Cortex ◽  
Functional Neuroimaging ◽  
Trauma Exposure ◽  
Diagnostic Interview ◽  
Emotional Dysregulation ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Pathological Personality Traits

Abstract Background Research has demonstrated that chronic stress exposure early in development can lead to detrimental alterations in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)–amygdala circuit. However, the majority of this research uses functional neuroimaging methods, and thus the extent to which childhood trauma corresponds to morphometric alterations in this limbic-cortical network has not yet been investigated. This study had two primary objectives: (i) to test whether anatomical associations between OFC–amygdala differed between adults as a function of exposure to chronic childhood assaultive trauma and (ii) to test how these environment-by-neurobiological effects relate to pathological personality traits. Methods Participants were 137 ethnically diverse adults (48.1% female) recruited from the community who completed a clinical diagnostic interview, a self-report measure of pathological personality traits, and anatomical MRI scans. Results Findings revealed that childhood trauma moderated bilateral OFC–amygdala volumetric associations. Specifically, adults with childhood trauma exposure showed a positive association between medial OFC volume and amygdalar volume, whereas adults with no childhood exposure showed the negative OFC–amygdala structural association observed in prior research with healthy samples. Examination of the translational relevance of trauma-related alterations in OFC–amygdala volumetric associations for disordered personality traits revealed that trauma exposure moderated the association of OFC volume with antagonistic and disinhibited phenotypes, traits characteristic of Cluster B personality disorders. Conclusions The OFC–amygdala circuit is a potential anatomical pathway through which early traumatic experiences perpetuate emotional dysregulation into adulthood and confer risk for personality pathology. Results provide novel evidence of divergent neuroanatomical pathways to similar personality phenotypes depending on early trauma exposure.

scholarly journals Record of the circumstances of falls in the community: perspective in the Iberian Peninsula

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria de Fátima Araújo ◽  
Nilza Nogueira Caldevilla ◽  
Candida Maciel ◽  
Felicidade Malheiro ◽  
María Aurora Rodríguez-Borrego ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Assessment Instruments ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Basic Health ◽  
Risk Of Falls ◽  
Quantitative Descriptive ◽  
One Year ◽  
Two Stages ◽  
Basic Health Units

ABSTRACT Objective: to determine the diagnosis of the situation regarding documentation of falls and risk of falls in people older than 75 years in basic health units in Spain and Portugal. Method: mixed exploratory study in two stages: (i) quantitative descriptive of randomly selected fall records produced in one year (597 records; 197 Spanish and 400 Portuguese); and (ii) qualitative, with the purpose of knowing the perception of health professionals employing semi-structured interviews (72 professionals, 16 Spanish and 56 Portuguese). The study areas were two basic health units in southern Spain and northern Portugal. Results: in the fall records, the number of women was higher. The presence of fall was associated with the variables age, presence of dementia, osteoarticular disease, previous falls and consumption of antivertiginous medication. Health professionals perceived an absence of risk assessment instruments, as well as lack of prevention programs and lack of awareness of this event. Conclusion: falls are perceived as an area of priority attention for health professionals. Nonetheless, there is a lack of adherence to the registration of falls and risk assessment, due to organizational, logistical and motivational problems.

scholarly journals Patient Markers of Successful Diabetes Management

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy T. Cunningham ◽  
Pouya Arefi ◽  
Alexzandra T. Gentsch ◽  
Geoffrey D. Mills ◽  
Marianna D. LaNoue ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Glucose ◽  
Diabetes Management ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Successful Management ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Care Plans ◽  
Ed Visits

<b>Purpose.</b> For individuals with diabetes, diabetes health status may not align with A1C targets. Patients may use nonclinical targets when assessing their diabetes management success. Identifying these targets is important in developing patient-centered management plans. The purpose of this study was to identify patient markers of successful diabetes management among patients in an urban academic health system. <p><b>Methods. </b>A secondary analysis of semi-structured interviews was completed with 89 adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Participants had a recent diabetes-related emergency department (ED) visits or hospitalization or were primary care patients with an A1C >7.5%. Interviews were conducted to saturation. Demographic data were collected via self-report and electronic medical records. Interviews were analyzed using conventional content analysis. This analysis focused on patient perceptions of successful management coded to “measuring management success.”</p> <p><b>Results.</b> Although most participants cited A1C or blood glucose as a marker of successful diabetes management, they had varied understanding of these metrics. Most used a combination of targets from the following categories: <i>1</i>) A1C, blood glucose, and numbers; <i>2</i>) engagement in medical care; <i>3</i>) taking medication and medication types; <i>4</i>) symptoms; <i>5</i>) diet, exercise, and weight; and <i>6</i>) stress management and social support.</p> <p><b>Conclusion. </b>Individuals not meeting glycemic goals and/or with recent diabetes-related ED visits or hospitalizations had varied understanding of A1C and blood glucose targets. They use multiple additional markers of successful management and had a desire for management discussions that incorporate these markers. These measures should be incorporated into their care plans along with clinical targets.</p>

scholarly journals Teachers’ Use of Education Dashboards and Professional Growth

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 61-78
Author(s):  
Shiran Michaeli ◽  
Dror Kroparo ◽  
Arnon Hershkovitz
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School Teachers ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Visual Aids ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
Iste Standards ◽  
Data Driven Decisions ◽  
Shed Light

Education dashboards are a means to present various stakeholders with information about learners, most commonly regarding the learners’ activity in online learning environments. Typically, an education dashboard for teachers will include some type of visual aids that encourage teachers to reflect upon learner behavior patterns and to act in accordance to it. In practice, this tool can assist teachers to make data-driven decisions, thus supporting their professional growth, however, so far, the use of education dashboards by teachers has been greatly understudied. In this research we report on two studies related to the associations between the use of education dashboards by elementary school teachers and the teachers’ professional growth. We used the framework defined by the International Society for Technology in Education’s (ISTE) Standards for Educators. In the first study, we took a quantitative approach (N=52 teachers), using an online self-report questionnaire, and found that the use of dashboards is positively associated with professional growth in the dimensions of facilitator, analyst, designer, and citizen. In the second study, we took a qualitative approach (N=9 teachers), using semi-structured interviews, to shed light on the mechanisms through which teachers benefit from the use of education dashboards.

Development and psychometric exploration of a semi-structured clinical interview for Misophonia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Eliza Guetta ◽  
Clair Cassiello-Robbins ◽  
Deepika Anand ◽  
Mark Zachary Rosenthal
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Clinical Interview ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Psychometric Analyses ◽  
Current Sample ◽  
Measurement Approach ◽  
Preliminary Support

Misophonia is a newly described disorder associated with significant emotional distress, functional impairment, and a wide range of mental health problems (e.g., mood, anxiety, and personality disorders). Although recent studies have begun to validate self-report measures of misophonia, no psychometrically validated interviews have been developed. To advance a scientific understanding of misophonia, rigorously developed structured interviews are needed as a complimentary measurement approach to self-report inventories. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to develop and begin preliminarily validating a semi-structured clinical interview for misophonia. We took an iterative, grassroots approach to item generation and interview development involving key stakeholders (i.e., misophonia sufferers, experts in the field). Initial psychometric analyses from the current sample (n = 30) evidenced excellent preliminary estimates for internal consistency, convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity. Results from this study provide preliminary support for the Duke Misophonia Interview, and we recommend that this interviewer-rated measure be iteratively developed and refined using larger and more diverse samples.

Special Problems and Populations in Feigned Incompetence

2018 ◽  
pp. 129-152
Author(s):  
Steve Rubenzer
Keyword(s):  
Verbal Ability ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Intellectually Disabled ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Validity Assessment ◽  
Memory Problems ◽  
Symptom Validity Test ◽  
Multiple Challenges ◽  
Validity Tests ◽  
Performance Validity Tests

This chapter addresses assessment of feigning or exaggeration in cases involving claimed amnesia for the crime, in intellectually disabled defendants, and in adolescent examinees. Claimed amnesia for the offense is one of the most common forms of feigning in criminal defendants, and multiple tests, including the crime-specific symptom validity test, as well as self-report measures and traditional validity tests, permit assessment of claimed memory problems. Intellectually disabled defendants, whose reading or verbal ability may compromise self-report measures and even structured interviews, present multiple challenges for validity assessment. Further, many performance validity tests are vulnerable to false positives for such examinees and cannot distinguish low ability from poor effort. This chapter suggests ways in which collateral data, such as prior IQ scores, can help inform the competency judgment. Finally, adolescent defendants present difficulty because much less research has been conducted on response style in non-adults. The available data are reviewed and suggestions are offered.

scholarly journals Follower emotional intelligence

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 1239-1260
Author(s):  
J. Irudhaya Rajesh ◽  
Verma Prikshat ◽  
Paul Shum ◽  
L. Suganthi
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
One Step ◽  
Cognitive Speed ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the impact of transformational leadership (TL) on follower emotional intelligence (EI) and examine the potential mediation role played by follower EI in the relationship between TL and follower outcomes (i.e. growth satisfaction in the job and job stress (JS)). Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained through survey using questionnaire collected from 908 employees who worked across six different sectors, i.e. manufacturing, IT, healthcare, hospitality, educational and public services in Southern India. The mediation model proposed in this study was tested using structural equation modelling and bootstrapping method. Findings The relationship between TL and Follower EI was significant. Follower EI was found to partially mediate the relationship between TL and followers’ growth satisfaction in job. Contrary to expectations, the follower EI did not significantly predict JS in this study and hence the follower EI did not mediate in the proposed model. However, follower EI and growth satisfaction in the job jointly mediated the relationship between TL and follower JS fully. Research limitations/implications Self-report bias about supervisors’ TL behaviours and followers’ own EI assessment and collection of data from the mono-source (subordinate self-report) might have impacted the results of this study. Moreover, some items were negatively worded and reverse coded as cognitive speed bumps to restrain the respondent’s tendency to rush through answering the survey questionnaire. Practical implications This study established a partial and joint mediation of follower EI on the relationship between TL and follower outcomes. Basing on these findings, this study highlights the need for the practitioners to better understand the importance of EI training for the leaders in the organisations for obtaining better outcomes in the followers. Social implications The study establishes the fact that the attunement of transformational leaders’ EI and follower EI help leaders as well as followers to guide their behaviour towards positive outcomes. Originality/value This study is among the first to examine the impact of TL on follower EI and the potential mediation of follower EI between TL and follower outcomes. From a theoretical perspective, this study is one step closer to fully understand the intervening process between TL and follower outcomes.

Safe but isolated – an interview study with Iraqi refugees in Sweden about social networks, social support, and mental health

2020 ◽  
pp. 002076402095425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Sundvall ◽  
David Titelman ◽  
Valerie DeMarinis ◽  
Liubov Borisova ◽  
Önver Çetrez
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Iraqi Refugees ◽  
Structured Interviews

Background: Problems with social networks and social support are known to be associated with mental ill-health in refugees. Social support after migration promotes resilience. Aim: To study how Iraqi refugees who arrived in Sweden after the year 2000 perceived their social networks and social support, and to relate the observed network characteristics and changes to the refugees’ mental health and well-being. Method: Semi-structured interviews with 31 refugees, including questions on background and migration experiences, a biographical network map, and three health assessment scales. The findings were analysed with descriptive statistics and content thematic analysis. Results: The respondents’ networks were diminished. Social support was continued to be provided mainly by family members and supplemented by support from authorities. The main themes of the refugee experience of post-migration challenges were weakened social networks, barriers to integration and challenges to cultural and religious belonging. Failed reunion and worrying about relatives was described as particularly painful. Negative contacts with authority persons were often seen as humiliating or discriminating. Acquiring a new cultural belonging was described as challenging. At the same time, changing family and gender roles made it more difficult to preserve and develop the culture of origin. Traumatic experiences and mental health problems were common in this group. Family issues were more often than integration difficulties associated with mental health problems. Conclusion: In order to strengthen post-migration well-being and adaptation, authorities should support the refugees’ social networks. Clinicians need to address post-migration problems and challenges, including the meaning and function of social networks.

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