DSpace Repository :: Browsing by Author "Salekin, Randall T."

Browsing by Author "Salekin, Randall T."

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Aggression Turned Inward: A Review and Meta-Analysis of the Association Between Psychopathic Traits and Self-Directed Aggressive Behavior
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2024) Mendez, Beatriz; Salekin, Randall T.
Psychopathic traits have been significantly implicated in violence and aggression, at a massive cost to individuals and society. While psychopathy's association to aggressive behavior when directed at others has been studied at length and our understanding refined as a result, less is known about the relationship between psychopathic traits and aggression when directed at the self. Despite founding perspectives positing that psychopathy is negatively related to suicide, the empirical work that followed this early conceptualization of the construct indicates this is not consistently the case. Although some research has found support for psychopathic traits being negatively related to self-directed aggression, other work has yielded evidence of a positive relationship with forms of self-directed aggression like suicidality and nonsuicidal self-injury, and yet other studies have no relationship at all. This conflicting picture has been attributed to differences at the facet and factor levels of psychopathy, while other research points to the added impact of factors like age, gender, and co-occurring psychopathology. Evidently, psychopathy's association with self-directed aggression is a complex one, hence the value of a comprehensive examination of their relationship. The current study aimed to address this gap in the literature by empirically investigating the magnitude of the association between psychopathic traits and self-directed aggression using a systematic review and meta-analytic approach. Results revealed a small significant overall relationship (r = .10) between psychopathic traits and self-directed aggression. This association was substantially moderated by the psychopathy factors, with Factor 1/Primary Psychopathy unrelated to self-directed aggression (r = .02) and Factor 2/Secondary Psychopathy (r = .16) showing a significantly positive relationship. Moderator analyses further revealed the association between psychopathic traits and self-directed aggression depended on specific measurement and sample characteristics. Findings shed a more systematic light on the nature of psychopathy's link to self-directed aggression and its role as a potential, though likely not major risk factor for aggressing against the self. The insights derived from the current study have implications for our theoretical understanding of psychopathy and its relation to clinically important correlates like self-directed aggression and moreover, can aid in informing advances in clinical practice across key areas like risk evaluation, intervention, and prevention.
Bidirectional influences between maternal depression and boys' and girls' externalizing behavior and the mediating role of inconsistent parenting
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2010) Stromeyer, Sara Louise; Lochman, John E.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Previous research has indicated that maternal depression and externalizing behavior can contribute to and exacerbate one other. The current study examined a bidirectional model and found that maternal depression and externalizing behavior interacted reciprocally, such that maternal depression at Grade 5 predicted externalizing behavior at Grade 6, and externalizing behavior at Grade 4 predicted maternal depression at Grade 6. Additionally, the current study examined inconsistent discipline as a mediator for the reciprocal relationships between maternal depression and externalizing behavior. Findings suggest that inconsistent discipline at Grade 5 mediated the relationship between Grade 4 maternal depression and Grade 6 externalizing behavior, but not the reverse relationship. Clinical implications are discussed.
"the boy who would not grow up": maturity and physiological responses of juvenile offenders
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2014) MacDougall, Emily; Salekin, Randall T.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Developmental maturity is an important concept with serious legal repercussions for adolescent offenders (Kent v. U.S., 1966; Roper v. Simmons, 2005). Recent research has emphasized the neurobiological correlates of adolescent behavior, but there is little understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of maturity. The current study explored maturity in adolescent offenders using both physiological and psychological tests to assess emotional reactivity. Correlational and regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between a measure of heart rate (vagal tone) and skin conductance and several self-report measures of maturity. Findings indicated that adolescent maturity is composed of several different constructs and some constructs appear to share neurobiological underpinnings. Specifically, emotional reactivity appears to be one construct of adolescent maturity composed of several sub-constructs that can be indexed using heart rate, skin conductance, and psychological tests. Legal and clinical implications are discussed.
Callous-unemotional traits and emotion in a detained adolescent sample: a mixed methods approach
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2013) Ang, Xinying; Salekin, Randall T.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits have been found to be useful in identifying youth who display more stable, severe and aggressive behavior and who are at increased risk for early-onset delinquency and later antisocial and delinquent behavior (Frick & Dickens, 2006; Frick & White,2008). Some studies devoted to understanding how youth with CU traits perceive emotional stimuli have found that youth with these traits have deficits in processing fear and distress in others (Frick and White, 2008). However, there is a paucity of research examining the detailed emotional experiences of youth with CU traits. Thus, the current study aimed to provide a richer understanding of the emotional experiences and perceptions of juvenile delinquents with high CU traits by examining how their emotional reactions and experiences may differ from those with low CU traits. Qualitative and quantitative data analyses were conducted to achieve these aims. It was found that a lower proportion of high CU youth, as compared to low CU youth, were able to identify the scared emotion of the photographed individual. No differences were found between groups on their ability to cite an experience for each emotion, or in their perceived emotional intensity for their experiences. High CU youth were more likely to make plans to evoke negative emotions in others for self-enhancement or to reach a specific goal, more so than low CU participants. A higher number of high CU youth reported that they found emotions hard to express, but perceived anger as easy to express, compared to low CU youth. High CU youth also controlled their fear to a greater extent compared to low CU youth. These findings are important as they shed new light on the relation between CU traits and emotion, and suggest that detained adolescents with CU traits may experience emotions such as guilt and fear, but they may prefer to contain their negative emotions from others.
Callous-unemotional traits and peer relationship characteristics among aggressive children over the transition to middle school
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2014) O'Brien, Christopher Thomas; McDonald, Kristina L.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
The purpose of the present study was to investigate, among an aggressive sample of youth, how CU traits are related to children's regard from peers and peer reputations of victimization and leadership. Children between the ages of 9 and 12 (N = 231) completed a sociometric survey as well as self-reporting on delinquency. Teacher reports of CU traits were also collected. As hypothesized, higher levels of CU traits predicted membership in the low trajectory group relative to the high trajectory group for peer nominations of being liked the most. Additionally, results indicated that higher levels of CU traits predicted membership in the high trajectory group relative to the low trajectory group for peer nominations of being liked the least above and beyond aggressive behavior. No support was found for the hypothesis that CU traits predict membership in the high trajectory group for peer nominations of victimization nor for the hypothesis that it predicts membership in the high trajectory group for peer nominations of leadership. Results are discussed in terms of their contribution to characterizing youth with CU traits as well as how these youth interact with their peers.
Callous-Unemotional Traits Only Versus the Multidimensional Psychopathy Construct as Predictors of Various Antisocial Outcomes During Early Adolescence
(Springer, 2018) Andershed, Henrik; Colins, Olivier F.; Salekin, Randall T.; Lordos, Alexandros; Kyranides, Melina Nicole; Fanti, Kostas A.; Orebro University; Leiden University - Excl LUMC; Leiden University; Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC); University of Alabama Tuscaloosa; University of Cyprus; University of Edinburgh
The aim of this study was to compare callous-unemotional (CU) traits versus the multidimensional psychopathy construct in their ability to predict future and stable antisocial behavior. At baseline, a community sample of 996 Cypriot 12-year old adolescents (52% girls) completed measures that tap conduct problems (CP) and psychopathic traits, including CU. CP, aggression, and substance use were self-reported at 1-3 year follow-ups. Youths were assigned to six mutually exclusive groups based on their baseline levels of CP and psychopathic traits. Youth with CP scoring high on all three psychopathic traits dimensions (Psychopathic Personality + CP) showed the most robust and highest risk for future and stable CP, aggression, and substance use, followed by youth who were high on all three psychopathic traits dimensions but displayed no concurrent CP (Psychopathic Personality Only) and CP youth with low levels of psychopathic traits (CP Only). Youth with CP who merely manifested callous-unemotional traits (Callous-Unemotional + CP) were only at risk for future CP. The findings suggest that the CU traits-based approach for subtyping children with CP is less informative compared to a subtyping approach using various psychopathic traits dimensions in predicting future and stable forms of various antisocial outcomes. These findings and their consistency with prior work indicate the need for additional research to examine the various psychopathic traits dimensions rather than focusing solely on CU traits, especially for CP subtyping purposes.
Callousness and Affective Face Processing in Adults: Behavioral and Brain-Potential Indicators
(American Psychological Association, 2018) Brislin, Sarah J.; Yancey, James R.; Perkins, Emily R.; Palumbo, Isabella M.; Drislane, Laura E.; Salekin, Randall T.; Fanti, Kostas A.; Kimonis, Eva R.; Frick, Paul J.; Blair, R. James R.; Patrick, Christopher J.; Florida State University; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa; University of Cyprus; University of New South Wales Sydney; Louisiana State University; Australian Catholic University; Boys Town National Research Hospital
The investigation of callous-unemotional (CU) traits has been central to contemporary research on child behavior problems, and served as the impetus for inclusion of a specifier for conduct disorder in the latest edition of the official psychiatric diagnostic system. Here, we report results from 2 studies that evaluated the construct validity of callousness as assessed in adults, by testing for affiliated deficits in behavioral and neural processing of fearful faces, as have been shown in youthful samples. We hypothesized that scores on an established measure of callousness would predict reduced recognition accuracy and diminished electocortical reactivity for fearful faces in adult participants. In Study 1, 66 undergraduate participants performed an emotion recognition task in which they viewed affective faces of different types and indicated the emotion expressed by each. In Study 2, electrocortical data were collected from 254 adult twins during viewing of fearful and neutral face stimuli, and scored for event-related response components. Analyses of Study 1 data revealed that higher callousness was associated with decreased recognition accuracy for fearful faces specifically. In Study 2, callousness was associated with reduced amplitude of both N170 and P200 responses to fearful faces. Current findings demonstrate for the first time that callousness in adults is associated with both behavioral and physiological deficits in the processing of fearful faces. These findings support the validity of the CU construct with adults and highlight the possibility of a multidomain measurement framework for continued study of this important clinical construct.
Comparing Different Approaches for Subtyping Children with Conduct Problems: Callous-Unemotional Traits Only Versus the Multidimensional Psychopathy Construct
(Springer, 2018) Colins, Olivier F.; Andershed, Henrik; Salekin, Randall T.; Fanti, Kostas A.; Leiden University; Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC); Orebro University; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa; University of Cyprus
The aim of this study was to compare two youth psychopathy models (i.e., callous-unemotional versus multidimensional model) in their ability to predict future and stable conduct problems (CP). At baseline, mothers and fathers of 321 boys and 369 girls (ages 7-12) completed measures that tap callous-unemotional and other psychopathic traits. Parent-reported CP was collected at baseline and at 6- and 12 month follow-ups. Children were assigned to mutually exclusive groups based on their levels of CP and psychopathic traits. Children with CP who manifested callous-unemotional traits (Callous-Unemotional + CP) were occasionally at risk for future and stable CP. Yet, across gender, children with CP scoring high on all psychopathic trait dimensions (Psychopathic Personality + CP) showed the most robust and highest risk for future and stable CP. Also, Callous-Unemotional + CP children, and children who were only high in CP, often were at similar risk for future CP. The findings suggest that the callous-unemotional model is less sufficient than the multidimensional model in predicting future and stable CP. This can be concluded for both boys and girls and calls for more research reconsidering the multidimensional nature of psychopathy for CP subtyping purposes.
Daily spillover in conflict from the marital relationship to the parent-child relationship: the moderating role of attributes associated with parent emotion-related regulation
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2012) Baden, Rachel Elizabeth; Lochman, John E.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Research has consistently documented that negativity generated in the marital relationship will "spill over" to negatively influence how parents interact with their children. The present study uses a daily reporting design to examine the spillover in naturally-occurring conflict from the marital relationship to the parent-child relationship over a week-long period. The present study also explores the direct and interaction effects of temperament and personality factors associated with emotion-related regulation on these spillover processes. This is the first known study to examine the spillover in specific conflict strategies and to link distal personality and temperament variables to micro-level processes such as day-to-day family conflict. Participants were 61 parents with a preadolescent child "at-risk" for aggressive behavior. Parents reported on their experience of marital and parent-child conflict and their use of constructive and destructive conflict strategies through daily telephone interviews. Personality and temperament ratings were collected through baseline interviews with participants in their homes or community settings. Primary analyses revealed a spillover in conflict and constructive conflict across one time period and across one full day. Parents' emotion-related regulation had direct effects on parents' use of constructive and destructive conflict strategies and interesting moderating effects on the spillover in conflict. Secondary analyses tested potential child effects. Findings have important clinical implications for adaptive intervention programs and family therapies targeting children at-risk for behavioral problems.
Determinations of mental retardation: the influence of standard of proof
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2011) Chen, Debra R.; Salekin, Karen L.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
The effects of two standards of proof (preponderance of the evidence and clear and convincing) and quantified definitions (quantified and non-quantified definitions) on two dependant variables (mock juror determinations of intellectual disability and numerical definitions of the standards of proof) were examined. One-hundred and thirty-nine undergraduate students were asked to read a transcript and determine if the defendant in the transcript had ID. Participants were also asked to complete questionnaires designed to measure their need for cognition, right-wing authoritarianism, endorsement of negative attitudes regarding individuals with intellectual disability, and their intelligence. Analyses indicated that standard of proof and quantification significantly affected whether mock jurors believed the defendant met criteria for ID and their numerical definitions of the two standards. There were no significant moderating variables. Limitations of and implications from the study are discussed.
Empathy-relevant processing in psychopathic offenders
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2019) Efferson, Leah; Glenn, Andrea L.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of psychopathic traits on empathy-relevant processes and two types of empathy. Previous research has suggested that empathy requires that a person be able to identify emotional content, identify emotions of others, experience one’s own emotions, identify and describe one’s emotions, and figure out what another person is feeling and thinking. Empathy-relevant processes have been examined in separate studies, however, no studies have examined all of these constructs at once in relation to psychopathy. An exploratory goal was to examine gender differences in the relationship between psychopathic traits and empathy-relevant processes and types of empathy. One hundred inmates from the Tuscaloosa county jail participated in the study and half the sample was female. They completed the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version along with an emotional processing task, two theory of mind tasks, empathy, alexithymia, and emotional experiences questionnaires. Controlling for demographic variables, psychopathic traits predicted slower reaction times to emotional words, increased difficulty identifying feelings, and experiencing more anger but did not predict self-reports of emotional nor cognitive empathy, theory of mind, or difficulty describing feelings. Gender moderated the relationship between psychopathic traits and reaction time to emotional words in that this relationship was positive for females but not significant for males. Interventions might focus on helping and motivating psychopathic individuals to identify their feelings and how to identify, pay attention to, and respond to emotional content. Future studies should further probe the lack of significant association between the PCL:SV and self-reported emotional empathy, which other studies have similarly failed to observe.
Evaluating the assessment and clinical application of the DSM-5 section III personality disorder model
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2016) Anderson, Jaime L.; Salekin, Randall T.; Sellbom, Martin; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders-5th Edition (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013) includes an alternate model for the assessment and diagnosis of personality disorders (PDs). This model is a hybrid dimensional-categorical model that includes functional impairment, maladaptive personality traits, and a set of categorical PD diagnoses. Previous research has begun to evaluate the different aspects of this model, particularly its trait model (see Krueger & Markon, 2014 for a review); however, additional research is needed that addresses the clinical utility of the model, the role of functional impairment in PD assessment, and validity of measure designed to assess the model (e.g., the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 [PID-5] and its alternate forms). The following studies aimed to fill those gaps in the literature. Study One evaluated clinical perspectives of Borderline (BPD) and Antisocial (ASPD) PDs using Section III dimensional traits and supported the use of these traits in operationalizing these two disorders in clinical practice. Study Two examined the functional impairment criteria of the model as they relate to specific PDs. This study suggested a lack of utility in measuring disorder-specific impairment due to overlap across PDs and instead suggested the use of more broad constructs of impairment. In addition, however, this study highlighted some of the overlap between functional impairment and maladaptive traits in this model, as described by other previous researchers (e.g., Zimmerman et al., 2015) and called for additional research regarding the utility of this criterion. Finally, Study Three evaluated a screening measure for the Section III trait domains, the PID-5-Brief Form (PID-5-BF; APA, 2013; Derringer et al., under review). This study found support for the factor structure of this measure as well as its construct validity as measured by its association with relevant external criterion variables. Although more research continues to be needed regarding the use of this alternative model, these studies have implications for its implementation and generally support the use of dimensional traits in the assessment and diagnosis of personality psychopathology.
Evaluating volitional control in sexually violent predator civil commitment trials
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2018) Jones, Michelle Andrea; Brodsky, Stanley L.; Salekin, Randall T.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Many states allow individuals to be civilly committed as “sexually violent predators” (SVPs) after they have served their prison sentence. In order to be committed, there must be evidence of certain criteria, including evidence that the person would have difficulty controlling their behavior (volitional control). Although psychologists and psychiatrists are typically called upon to provide expert opinion in these cases, there is little research regarding how such experts think about these issues, conduct their evaluations, and communicate their findings to the court. This study was designed to examine these issues. This study employed qualitative methodology to analyze testimony presented by experts during federal SVP trials (n=109), interviews with licensed psychologists who have conducted SVP evaluations (n=14), and expert reports submitted to the courts in SVP cases (n=11). Results revealed three essential themes. One, evaluators in federal SVP trials typically discuss volitional impairment in court, and often it is discussed separate and apart from other SVP criteria such as diagnosis or risk. However, practice appears to be more varied in individual states, and whether an expert considers volition separately from other criteria appears to largely depend on the particular state statute and the legal/political context within which the expert is testifying. Two, although there does not appear to be a consensus regarding how volition is defined or conceptualized, the concept often is operationalized in behavioral terms. For example, experts typically referenced past offending behavior in their reports, testimony, and their interviews. Three, when experts do assess volition, they usually consider the following factors: nature of past offending behavior, testing results (particularly from actuarial measures), diagnosis, and treatment progress/amenability. These results suggest that future research involving case law or trial transcripts may be helpful in elucidating SVP evaluation practice in specific states. Empirical research to assess how expert analysis of volition impacts factfinders also is recommended. From a clinical and legal standpoint, this study’s findings suggest the development of clearer and more uniform internal guidance for practitioners may be helpful. Recommendations about modifying statutory definitions or criteria also may be needed and welcome.
An examination of psychopathy, promiscuity, and other risky sexual behavior over time
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2013) Rosenbaum, Jill; Salekin, Randall T.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Psychopathic individuals are thought to have impersonal and sexually promiscuous relationships. Despite considerable theory on this topic (Cleckley, 1941), there is little research to support this contention. To fill this gap in research, the current study sought to examine the relation between psychopathy, promiscuity, and other risky sexual behavior. One hundred fifty-two delinquent youth between the ages of 11 and 18, were recruited for the study following contact with the juvenile justice system. Youth participated in four evaluations over two years to assess whether psychopathic traits predicted engagement in promiscuous sexual behavior and other risky sex practices. In addition, this study examined whether youth with psychopathic characteristics experience negative outcomes as a result of their sexual behavior. Findings indicated that psychopathic traits did not predict promiscuous sexual behavior, casual sex, or unprotected sex. Psychopathic traits (CU traits) however, were negatively associated with negative sex outcomes (e.g., pregnancy, STD infection), indicating that youth high in these traits experienced fewer negative outcomes. Demographic characteristics gender and age were significant predictors of risky sexual behavior at the 2-year follow-up including engagement in casual sex and promiscuous sex. Based on Moffitt's (1993) model of youth antisocial behavior trajectories, growth mixture modeling techniques were employed based on age of onset and past promiscuous sexual behavior to identify patterns of promiscuity over time. However, age of sexual debut did not discriminate different patterns of promiscuous sexual behavior in the present study. Overall, the results indicate that psychopathy was not a predictor of engagement in promiscuity and other risky sexual behaviors. Implications of the findings are discussed.
An examination of the relationship between adult psychopathy and childhood trauma in a jail sample
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2016) Rock, Rachel Colleen; Sellbom, Martin; Salekin, Randall T.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Psychopathy is a constellation of maladaptive personality traits such as callousness, manipulativeness, pathological lying, a lack of empathy, and superficial charm (Cleckley, 1941; Hare, 2003), which has been associated with both genetic and environmental etiological factors (e.g., Blair, Peschardt, Budhani, Mitchell, & Pine, 2006). Although genetic variation may be responsible for the many neurobiological factors associated with psychopathy, these studies clearly indicate that environmental risk factors for psychopathy should not be neglected. One such risk factor is childhood trauma, which for the purposes of this investigation will be focused on childhood physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, neglect, and witnessing domestic violence. Although we know that childhood trauma is associated with psychopathy (e.g., Verona et al., 2005; Rock, 2012), we know little about the mechanisms through which this relationship occurs. I examined the associations between five childhood trauma subtypes and total psychopathy as well as its four facets (affective, interpersonal, antisocial, lifestyle) in this study. I also investigated the possibility of insecure parental attachment, disinhibition, negative emotionality, and fearlessness as mediators, and gender, race, SES, disinhibition, and fearlessness as moderators in these associations. Two-hundred twenty men and women from the Tuscaloosa County Jail participated in the study. They completed interviews as well as questionnaires that assessed for psychopathy, trauma, and various other factors. The findings suggest that psychological abuse, physical abuse, and witnessing domestic violence all directly predict psychopathy, and that sexual abuse is negatively associated with psychopathy. There was no evidence for mediation or moderation. These results are important as they shed light on the etiology of psychopathy, and suggest that there are no differences in the association between childhood trauma and adult psychopathy, regardless of gender, race, and SES.
An examination of the relationship between the positive illusory bias and the subtypes of aggression across time: a multi-method perspective
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2013) Sallee, Meghann Lucia; Lochman, John E.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
The goal of the current study was to examine the relationship between the positive illusory bias and the subtypes of aggression in a sample of aggressive children (n = 120) across three time points using multiple informants. In addition, a methodological question was explored by using difference and residual scores of the bias to examine its relationship with proactive and reactive aggression. While difference scores have traditionally been calculated to represent the bias, more recently, residual scores have been used (White & Kistner, 2011). To date, no study has examined whether unique findings emerge if the bias score is represented by a difference versus a residual score. To address these goals, four cross-lagged autoregressive models were estimated, including teacher and peer-informed difference and residual models. Finally, the relationship between the positive illusory bias and specific social cognitive biases related to the subtypes of aggression was examined. Results from the teacher-informed difference model indicate that the positive illusory bias predicts proactive and reactive aggression across time controlling for within-time associations among constructs. In this sample, the residual scores did not seem to accurately represent the bias, and therefore, there was no support for using a residual score to examine the positive illusory bias. Lastly, the hostile attribution bias, a social cognitive bias associated with reactive aggression, was found to predict the positive illusory bias during elementary school, but not during transition to middle school.
Examining the association between callous-unemotional traits, bullying and victimization in preschoolers
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2012) O'Brien, Christopher; Tullos-Gilpin, Ansley; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Peer victimization and bullying are a widespread problem among children, which can lead to mental, behavioral and physical adjustment problems. Due to these excessive costs, much attention has been directed at identifying and examining risk factors for engaging in bullying behaviors. Previous research has examined callous-unemotional (CU) traits as a risk factor for bullying and victimization. The present study examined the impact of CU traits in putting preschoolers at risk for bullying and victimization as well as how social-neuro-cognitive variables may moderate this relation. CU traits were a significant predictor for both bullying and victimization. Furthermore, cognitive inhibition and verbal intelligence moderated the relation between CU traits and bullying. However, no moderation effects were found for victimization. Other frequently studied predictors, such as age or income, did not discriminate within the sample. These findings suggest that in a preschool sample, CU traits not only serve as risk factors for bullying and being victimized, but are also associated with normative social cognitive functioning.
Examining the impact of correcting for norm misperception on bullying and bystander behavioral intentions
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2017) Dillon, Casey; Lochman, John E.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Research has documented that upwards of 85% of students across the preschool through high school levels have some involvement in bullying incidents, whether as bully, victim, or bystander. Recent evidence has emphasized the influential role of bystanders, in particular, with passive behavior reinforcing those who bully, and defending behavior—though infrequent—successfully ending bullying episodes quickly and effectively. To that end, the current study investigated whether personalized normative feedback could operate as a mechanism by which to reduce norm misperception of attitudes toward bullying, and thus, create positive change in bystander behavior. While this type of intervention has shown promising effects in a variety of contexts, no study to date has examined its utility in the specific context of bullying. Baseline participants included 188 seventh grade students, 175 of which were randomized into four study groups for follow-up data collection. Children in the experimental condition received personalized normative feedback on attitudes toward bullying. Control conditions were the following: general normative feedback on attitudes toward bullying, the absence of normative feedback, and personalized normative feedback on attitudes toward drug use. Findings indicated that normative feedback, both personalized and general, led to significant perceived peer attitude change in the direction of the group norm. No intervention effects emerged on either personal attitude change or bystander behavioral intentions. Looking to build upon the present findings, future directions consider methodology modifications and the examination of additional, relevant constructs. Implications highlight the positive clinical outcomes that could result from reduced norm misperception and increased engagement in prosocial bystander behavior.
Expert testimony and substance-themed mitigation in capital case sentencing
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2016) Boyle, Jessica Ann; Brodsky, Stanley L.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
The present study explored how jurors utilize biopsychosocial variables during the sentencing phase of a capital trial. According to literature, certain mitigating factors, like substance abuse, cause a "backfire effect." This means that contrary to the defense's intentions, jurors considered the information more aggravating than mitigating. Previous studies of biopsychosocial mitigation have neglected the impact of expert testimony on juror decision-making. Ideally, an expert imparts knowledge so jurors are more informed in their sentencing choice. However, such testimony may exacerbate the “backfire effect” by underscoring unfavorable qualities of the defendant. Hypotheses anticipated participants (mock jurors) exposed to expert testimony regarding a defendant’s substance abuse would be more likely to choose the death penalty. Further, it was anticipated this effect would be greater for mock jurors displaying problematic drinking patterns. Results revealed a significant main effect of expert testimony such that mock jurors exposed to testimony were significantly less likely to choose the death penalty, regardless of whether the defendant abused substances. Upon further investigation, the significant effect of expert testimony only held true for college student participants. These results highlight the importance of a two-step process of data analysis in juror decision-making studies using college student samples. Specifically, significant effects should be confirmed within a more venire-representative sample before drawing conclusions. Uncovered data also shed more light on the influence of expert testimony during capital cases, as well as the juror characteristics associated with different sentencing decisions for a defendant displaying mental health problems. In addition, data suggested substance-themed mitigation is not necessarily deleterious for the defense. Effective expert testimony may provide a buffer against the backfire effect, especially for jurors with higher levels of achieved education.
Exploring remorse behaviors: verbal and nonverbal indicators of authentic, exaggerated, and feigned remorse
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2011) Griffin, Desiree Adams; Brodsky, Stanley L.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Judges are tasked with discerning whether a defendant's remorse presentation is sincere or fabricated. However, there is limited research examining specific verbal and nonverbal behavioral cues associated with remorse. Two studies were conducted to identify behaviors predictive of authentic, exaggerated, and feigned remorse and to investigate judges' strategies for assessing defendant remorse. In the first study, 134 college students video-recorded a baseline story in which they were either remorseful or not remorseful for a harm they caused to another individual. They recorded the same story a second time with the instruction of exaggerating or feigning remorse. Coders rated the frequency with which participants engaged in 25 verbal and nonverbal behaviors associated with remorse and deception. Results indicated the majority of the behaviors were displayed infrequently; however individuals who were remorseful were more likely to admit guilt, make a commitment not to recidivate, and express empathy than non-remorseful individuals. Compared to the behavior they exhibited in their baseline stories, participants' expressions of empathy and their commitment not to recidivate increased when they exaggerated or feigned remorse; and their smiling and justification of behavior decreased. Despite the significant differences in behaviors across the varying levels of remorse, it is questionable whether these differences would be observable by judges because the mean differences were small. In the second study, judges (n = 56) were surveyed regarding the specific behavioral cues they use to assess remorse. Results indicated judges were more likely to use context-specific behavioral cues (e.g., prior criminal history, admission of guilt, apologies to the victim) than general cues for remorse (e.g., crying, bowed head). When assessing for feigned remorse, judges reported most commonly using gaze aversion, which is not empirically related to deception. An overarching strategy that was endorsed by judges for assessing the sincerity of remorse was examining the consistency between the defendant's verbalizations of remorse and their actions prior to the court date. A general discussion of suggested strategies for evaluating the sincerity of defendant remorse is presented. Strengths and weaknesses of the studies are addressed, along with future areas of research related to assessing remorse.

Browsing by Author "Salekin, Randall T."

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