The Severe 5%: A Latent Class Analysis of the Externalizing Behavior Spectrum in the United States

Objective

Criminological research consistently demonstrates that approximately 5% of study populations are comprised of pathological offenders who account for a preponderance of antisocial behavior and violent crime. Unfortunately, there have been no nationally representative epidemiological studies characterizing the severe 5% group.

Materials and Methods

Data from the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a nationally representative sample of 43,093 non-institutionalized U.S. residents aged 18 years and older were analyzed using latent class analysis to assess sociodemographic, psychiatric, and behavioral characteristics.

Results

Four-classes of respondents were identified vis-à-vis lifetime externalizing behaviors. A normative class (66.1% of respondents) demonstrated little involvement in antisocial conduct. A low substance use/high antisocial behavior class (20.7% of respondents) and high substance use/moderate antisocial behavior (8.0% of respondents) class evinced diverse externalizing and psychiatric symptoms. Finally, a severe class (5.3% of respondents) was characterized by pathological involvement in more varied and intensive forms of antisocial and externalizing behaviors and extensive psychiatric disturbance.

Conclusions

The current study is the first nationally representative epidemiological study of criminal careers/externalizing behavior spectrum in the United States and validates the existence of the 5% pathological group demonstrated by prior research.     

Predictors of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and self-harm without lethal intent in a community corrections sample

Purpose

Little published research data exist about suicidal ideation and self-harm behavior in community corrections and we seek to fill this void.

Aims

To examine the effects of drug dependence, depression, anxiety, psychopathy, fracture, and child trauma on suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and self-harm without lethal intent in community corrections.

Methods

The Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism Revised (SSAGA II) and the screening version of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist (PCL:SV) were administered. Separate binary logistic regression analyses were used to predict lifetime suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and self-harm behavior.

Results

Prevalences of suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and self-harm without lethal intent were 41%, 19%, and 14%. Suicidal ideation was predicted by drug dependence, elevated PCL:SV Factor 2 score, and Caucasian race. Suicidal ideation and attempt were both predicted by fractures, depression, and child trauma. Self-harm was predicted by fractures, panic, PCL:SV score, and child trauma.

Conclusions

Child trauma and multiple fractures are potent predictors for suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and self-harm without lethal intent in this community corrections sample. Depression predicted suicidal ideation and attempts, while panic predicted self-harm without lethal intent. Psychopathy was also an important predictor of suicidal ideation and self-harm behaviors without lethal intent.     

Evaluation of age estimation technique: testing traits of the acetabulum to estimate age at death in adult males

This study evaluates the accuracy and precision of a skeletal age estimation method, using the acetabulum of 100 male ossa coxae from the Grant Collection (GRO) at the University of Toronto, Canada. Age at death was obtained using Bayesian inference and a computational application (IDADE2) that requires a reference population, close in geographic and temporal distribution to the target case, to calibrate age ranges from scores generated by the technique. The inaccuracy of this method is 8 years. The direction of bias indicates the acetabulum technique tends to underestimate age. The categories 46-65 and 76-90 years exhibit the smallest inaccuracy (0.2), suggesting that this method may be appropriate for individuals over 40 years. Eighty-three percent of age estimates were ±12 years of known age; 79% were ±10 years of known age; and 62% were ±5 years of known age. Identifying a suitable reference population is the most significant limitation of this technique for forensic applications.     

From Victim to Offender: The Effects of Male Initiated Violence on Women Arrested for Using Intimate Partner Violence

A number of theorists posit that most women who are arrested for using violence against their intimate partners are in-fact victims of IPV themselves and should be treated as such. However, in this population of women IPV arrestees empirical investigation has yet to explore how physical and emotional victimization experiences are associated with arrest related factors, propensity to be abusive or attitude toward using relationship violence. The current study explores these factors finding no difference in arrest factors between women who (a) deny abuse, (b) report rare/occasional abuse and (c) report frequent/very frequent abuse. However, mixed results were found with regard to participants’ responses on scales measuring propensity to be abusive and attitudes about using violence in marriage. Theoretical and practical related issues are addressed.     

Sex,sex roles,and self-image

The purpose of this research was to compare the self-images of male and female children in order to determine whether females were at a particular disadvantage and, if so, why. A random sample of 1988 children from grades 3–12 were interviewed in Baltimore in 1968. Findings show more disturbance among White adolescent females than among White males or Black females: White girls become much more self-conscious and show greater self-image instability and somewhat lower self-esteem. Three sets of factors appear to explain part of these differences: (1) attitudes toward present and future sex role, (2) peer relationships in general and opposite sex relationships in particular, and (3) attitudes toward changing looks in adolescence.The work of the first author is currently supported by a Research Development Award from the National Institute of Mental Health, No. 5-K1-MH-41, 688-03. The work was also partly supported by USPHS Grants 1-F3-MH-41, 688-01 and MH-197541-01.The data were collected in 1968.Received her Ph.D. from Columbia University and has been interested in the social determinants of the self-image and in studies of the social psychological consequences of organ transplantation.Received her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland and is interested in social psychology in general and sex roles in particular.