Classifying Intimate Partner Violence: A Functional Typology

<p>A neglect of theoretical development has impaired psychological explanations for intimate partner violence (IPV), which in turn has hindered effective interventions for people who perpetrate IPV. This thesis addresses this problem by applying recent perspectives on classification to examine whether typologies of IPV facilitate useful explanations of these behaviours, and proposes an alternative strategy for classifying IPV. First, the role of classification is discussed, in terms of the theoretical requirements typologies should fulfil, and with specific reference to the classification of offending behaviour. Second, two of the most influential typologies of IPV – Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart’s (1994), and Johnson’s (1995, 2006) typologies – are critically analysed according to their conceptual problems. Third, a preliminary alternative approach to classifying IPV is proposed, in response to recent theoretical developments that suggest a focus on the function of IPV behaviours is required. This Motivational Systems Typology classifies individuals who have perpetrated IPV based on their motivations, and its capacity for facilitating explanations of IPV is demonstrated through an exemplar. Finally, the implications of this typology for understandings of IPV and classification are discussed.</p>

Classifying Intimate Partner Violence: A Functional Typology

<p>A neglect of theoretical development has impaired psychological explanations for intimate partner violence (IPV), which in turn has hindered effective interventions for people who perpetrate IPV. This thesis addresses this problem by applying recent perspectives on classification to examine whether typologies of IPV facilitate useful explanations of these behaviours, and proposes an alternative strategy for classifying IPV. First, the role of classification is discussed, in terms of the theoretical requirements typologies should fulfil, and with specific reference to the classification of offending behaviour. Second, two of the most influential typologies of IPV – Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart’s (1994), and Johnson’s (1995, 2006) typologies – are critically analysed according to their conceptual problems. Third, a preliminary alternative approach to classifying IPV is proposed, in response to recent theoretical developments that suggest a focus on the function of IPV behaviours is required. This Motivational Systems Typology classifies individuals who have perpetrated IPV based on their motivations, and its capacity for facilitating explanations of IPV is demonstrated through an exemplar. Finally, the implications of this typology for understandings of IPV and classification are discussed.</p>

He Whakamāramatanga mo te Taihara: A Cultural-Ecological Perspective of Agency and Offending Behaviour

<p>This thesis aims to outline the important role of culture in the development of the human mind and behaviour, and therefore argues that cultural information is a key part of forensic explanation. Differing cultural experiences, such as marginalisation, contribute to the differential representation of individuals and groups in criminal justice systems. Although there are multiple means through which this occurs, this thesis focuses on the role of the individual agentic process, nested within a historically-derived cultural context. Building on previous theoretical work, a preliminary model – the Cultural-Ecological Predictive Agency Model – is presented that might better assist comprehensive explanation of offending behaviour with reference to cultural processes and concepts. The model is then applied to an exemplar, compared to current approaches to rehabilitation and desistance, and some implications for forensic practice are suggested. The overall goal of this thesis is to explicate the potential cultural impacts on individuals who commit offences, and examine some of the causes of offending beyond ‘faulty individual psychology’.</p>

He Whakamāramatanga mo te Taihara: A Cultural-Ecological Perspective of Agency and Offending Behaviour

<p>This thesis aims to outline the important role of culture in the development of the human mind and behaviour, and therefore argues that cultural information is a key part of forensic explanation. Differing cultural experiences, such as marginalisation, contribute to the differential representation of individuals and groups in criminal justice systems. Although there are multiple means through which this occurs, this thesis focuses on the role of the individual agentic process, nested within a historically-derived cultural context. Building on previous theoretical work, a preliminary model – the Cultural-Ecological Predictive Agency Model – is presented that might better assist comprehensive explanation of offending behaviour with reference to cultural processes and concepts. The model is then applied to an exemplar, compared to current approaches to rehabilitation and desistance, and some implications for forensic practice are suggested. The overall goal of this thesis is to explicate the potential cultural impacts on individuals who commit offences, and examine some of the causes of offending beyond ‘faulty individual psychology’.</p>

Conceptual and Theoretical Issues in Forensic Neuropsychology

<p>Neuroscience is an increasingly popular area of study in forensic psychology, and there is a large body of empirical research emerging investigating the biological basis of offending behaviour. However, the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of forensic neuroscience are currently underdeveloped. The aim of this thesis is to provide insight into the potential issues with forensic neuroscience and provide a number of suggestions for researchers to follow. This thesis begins by outlining these theoretical, conceptual, and empirical issues that researchers should be considering, including conceptualisation of the mind, explanation, and the methodological issues in neuroscience. These issues are then examined in more detail using two specific subject areas as exemplars: deception detection and mind-reading by brain-reading. This thesis concludes with suggestions for future researchers, which include making sure that research is based on a strong theoretical framework, clarity around the kind of explanation employed and use of explanatory pluralism, clear and consistent definitions to improve conceptual validity, using consistent and conceptually valid experimental protocols, and explicit consideration of technical limitations and how they impact the validity of the experiment.</p>

Conceptual and Theoretical Issues in Forensic Neuropsychology

<p>Neuroscience is an increasingly popular area of study in forensic psychology, and there is a large body of empirical research emerging investigating the biological basis of offending behaviour. However, the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of forensic neuroscience are currently underdeveloped. The aim of this thesis is to provide insight into the potential issues with forensic neuroscience and provide a number of suggestions for researchers to follow. This thesis begins by outlining these theoretical, conceptual, and empirical issues that researchers should be considering, including conceptualisation of the mind, explanation, and the methodological issues in neuroscience. These issues are then examined in more detail using two specific subject areas as exemplars: deception detection and mind-reading by brain-reading. This thesis concludes with suggestions for future researchers, which include making sure that research is based on a strong theoretical framework, clarity around the kind of explanation employed and use of explanatory pluralism, clear and consistent definitions to improve conceptual validity, using consistent and conceptually valid experimental protocols, and explicit consideration of technical limitations and how they impact the validity of the experiment.</p>

Dynamic Risk Factors and their Utilisation in Case Formulation: A New Conceptual Framework

<p>The social pressure on policy makers and clinicians working with sexual offenders to reduce recidivism is extreme. A result of this pressure is the amount of research investigating risk-related features that has surged over the last few decades. Risk assessment has progressed from unstructured clinical judgement to development of risk factors that correlate with recidivism to predict levels of risk, and more recently, to forensic case formulation. This thesis concentrates on two key issues with forensic case formulation that has been largely neglected thus far. First, forensic case formulations rely heavily on the use of dynamic risk factors as causes of offending. The concern is that dynamic risk factors are composite constructs not causal mechanisms. Second, forensic case formulation models do not explain how to use an offender’s information and their risk factors to hypothesise about the cause of their offending leading to issues of reliability. To address these issues, the RECFM consists of five phases that guides clinicians on how to appropriately use forensic case formulation. The Risk Etiology Case Formulation Model (RECFM) aims to incorporate a reconceptualised version of dynamic risk factors using an Agency Model to identify the interaction of agent and context that causes offending behaviour. By using the RECFM, treatment can be targeted to the individual and their specific causes of offending, which will lead to better results in reducing recidivism. The aim of this thesis is to provide a forensic case formulation model is comprehensible for clinicians and that targets the causes of offending.</p>

Dynamic Risk Factors and their Utilisation in Case Formulation: A New Conceptual Framework

<p>The social pressure on policy makers and clinicians working with sexual offenders to reduce recidivism is extreme. A result of this pressure is the amount of research investigating risk-related features that has surged over the last few decades. Risk assessment has progressed from unstructured clinical judgement to development of risk factors that correlate with recidivism to predict levels of risk, and more recently, to forensic case formulation. This thesis concentrates on two key issues with forensic case formulation that has been largely neglected thus far. First, forensic case formulations rely heavily on the use of dynamic risk factors as causes of offending. The concern is that dynamic risk factors are composite constructs not causal mechanisms. Second, forensic case formulation models do not explain how to use an offender’s information and their risk factors to hypothesise about the cause of their offending leading to issues of reliability. To address these issues, the RECFM consists of five phases that guides clinicians on how to appropriately use forensic case formulation. The Risk Etiology Case Formulation Model (RECFM) aims to incorporate a reconceptualised version of dynamic risk factors using an Agency Model to identify the interaction of agent and context that causes offending behaviour. By using the RECFM, treatment can be targeted to the individual and their specific causes of offending, which will lead to better results in reducing recidivism. The aim of this thesis is to provide a forensic case formulation model is comprehensible for clinicians and that targets the causes of offending.</p>