Development of a measure of kindness

In the spirit of the growing developments in positive psychology, there is an increasing interest in how kind people are to each other. Yet, this area lacks any strong psychometric instrument. An initial exploratory study demonstrated that a 40-item questionnaire, completed by 165 people, revealed distinct aspects of kindness when subjected to multivariate analysis. A subsequent study is reported, using the structure of the exploratory results to further clarify the conceptual framework (Study 1). The revised 45-item questionnaire was administered to 1039 individuals from the general British population. Smallest Space Analysis of the variables, supported by Factor analysis, confirmed the hypothesis of two facets to kindness, the psychological source of the action (from principles or empathy), and the form of expression (through psychological involvement or following social prescription. It also revealed an additional general, core kindness, labelled Anthropophilia. Reliable scales derived from the combinations of the two elements from each facet were identified: Affective-Socially Prescribed; Affective-Proactive; Principle-Socially Prescribed and Principle-Proactive. Intercorrelations between the scales revealed that they measure different modes of kindness. Comparisons between male and female respondents provided external validity for the questionnaire. Study 2 (N = 251) reported that the scales measure independent dimensions when correlated with similar and dissimilar concepts.

La experiencia del caminar en ciudades Latinoamericanas

Los resultados expuestos de un estudio descriptivo que explora la forma en que los habitantes de 8 ciudades de seis países latinoamericanos: México, Colombia, Perú, Argentina, Uruguay y Chile, valoran las condiciones que las hacen caminables. Un total de 1133 personas calificaron mediante un cuestionario conformado por 50 ítems, distintas situaciones que se presentan al caminar, complementado por 144 entrevistas semi-estructuradas. A partir de un análisis descriptivo, correlacional, mediante el programa de escalamiento multidimensional, Smallest Space Analysis (SSA) se confirman las tres dimensiones propuestas para recoger la experiencia del caminar: los propósitos que persiguen las personas al caminar, el lugar por donde se camina y las condiciones espaciales y sociales que inhiben o promueven esta experiencia identificando los elementos que integran cada dimensión. Estos hallazgos se complementan con los resultados de las entrevistas semiestructuradas. Se discuten las implicaciones de los resultados para la planeación y gestión urbana.

Κοινωνικές αξίες νέων παραβατών: Διερευνητική μελέτη

The present, exploratory, study aims to investigate the social values of juvenile delinquents under the light of the social values theory proposed by S. Schwartz. Its main objectives are: First, to examine the structure of social values of juvenile delinquents. Second, to highlight possible relations between social values priorities and a number of demographic variables such as gender, educational level and type of crime. For this reason juvenile delinquents (N = 130) which are under probation completed a self-reported questionnaire composed of the Social Values Survey (SVS, Schwartz, 1992) and a form of demographic data. Smallest space analysis revealed 10 distinct value types, equivalent to those proposed by Schwartz’s model. Value types of benevolence, hedonism and self-direction were found to be of highest priority, whereas value types such as power and tradition were found to be the less guiding principles in our participants’ lives. Statistically significant differences were detected with respect to gender and not with respect to educational level and type of crime. In every case the prioritization of value types was the same. This particular finding taken together with relative findings regarding social values in Greece pinpoints that juvenile delinquents share common values and value priorities with non delinquents of similar age.

Exploration of Crime Scene Characteristics in Cyber-Related Homicides

Despite the alarming nature of homicides in which the offender meets the victim online, or cyber-initiated homicides, little empirical attention has been devoted to this phenomenon. The present study was designed to explore the behavioral patterns found prior to and during a cyber-initiated homicide event. Data on 61 homicide cases from various countries were collected through news media and legal sources. Smallest space analysis revealed that cyber homicides were characterized by four distinct themes: excessive violence, fatal escalation, crime-related incidents, and predatory behavior. Implications of the findings and avenues for future research are discussed.

Australian mental health caregiver burden: a smallest space analysis

ObjectivesTo explore Australian mental health carers’ prioritisation of key elements of caregiving and establish the extent to which particular issues contribute to carer burden.DesignCross-sectional survey.SettingAll Australian States and Territories.ParticipantsResponses were received from 231 Australian mental health caregivers.Main outcome measuresThe Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire was used to assess caregiver burden.ResultsSmallest space analysis identified three distinct regions, which we conceptualise as: 1) promoting the safety and health of mental health consumers; 2) impact of caring on caregivers’ personal lives and 3) enabling daily living functional recovery of mental health consumers. The analysis demonstrates that carers are most concerned with enabling daily living functional recovery, for which the mean value was considerably higher than the personal impact and promoting safety and health regions. In terms of the individual questionnaire items, the issues of most importance are assisting with self-care, worrying about consumers’ future, finances and general health, encouraging consumer involvement in activities and concerns over the treatment consumers are receiving.ConclusionCaregiving often came at significant personal cost. The burden that results from caring for mental health consumers could perhaps be alleviated through the expansion of psychiatric disability services, increasing government financial support and providing tailored psychosocial interventions that meet the needs of families.

Women Offenders’ Criminal Narrative Experience

Purpose Although there is a vast array of theories on crime, one area that is largely under-represented is that of the actual experience of the offender engaged in criminal acts. The purpose of this paper is to examine the individual and phenomenological experiences of crime amongst women offenders. Design/methodology/approach The sample consisted of 128 women who had committed a criminal offence, with an average age of 36.40 years (SD=11.12). Participants were recruited to take part in the study by answering a questionnaire exploring the emotions and narrative roles they experienced during commission of a crime. From this, participants’ Criminal Narrative Experience (CNE) was determined. Findings Smallest Space Analysis (SSA) analyses revealed that emotional experiences and narrative roles were thematically associated, and when both were subjected to SSA analysis, two main themes of CNE were identified: Avenging Angel and Choiceless Victim. The Choiceless Victim experience was the most representative of women’s experiences in this study. Practical implications The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. Future directions for research are also outlined. Originality/value The findings offer an alternative perspective and theoretical framework for examining women offenders’ criminal experiences.

The Criminal Narrative Experience of Psychopathic and Personality Disordered Offenders

Given the challenges associated with psychopathic and personality disordered offenders, further insight is needed. One way of doing this is by looking at offending from the first-person perspective. The study investigated the criminal narrative experience (CNE) of this population during the commissioning of crimes. Twenty-two high-risk male offenders were recruited and a questionnaire design was used. The data were analysed using Smallest Space Analysis which revealed four themes consistent with Ioannou, Canter, and Youngs’s CNE framework: depressed victim, distressed revenger, calm professional, and elated hero. Independent samples t tests explored whether personality disorders related to CNE themes, and Pearson’s product–moment correlation was used to explore the relationship between psychopathy and the CNE themes. Borderline personality disorder identified with the depressed victim. Paranoid and schizoid personality disorders did not identify with the calm professional. There was no significant relationship between psychopathy and the CNE themes. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Applying the Criminal Narrative Experience Framework to Young Offenders

The present study applied the Criminal Narrative Experience for the first time with young offenders ( N = 23). The analysis was based on young people serving a community sentence and attending a Youth Offending Team. Participants completed questionnaires relating to their roles and emotions during a typical offence and data were examined with Smallest Space Analysis (SSA) to identify if the themes were replicated. Three themes were identified: Calm Professional, Elated Hero, and a combined theme of Distressed Revenger and Depressed Victim. Correlation indicated links between Narrative Experience and static and dynamic risk factors. Findings suggest that the Calm Professional theme correlates with Neighbourhood risk factors, the Elated Hero with Attitudes to Offending, and the Distressed Revenger/Depressed Victim theme with Living Arrangements and Family and Personal Relationships. Potential reasons for identifying three rather than four themes with this sample are discussed. Implications of findings in preventing reoffending are highlighted.