Differences in executive functioning between violent and non-violent offenders
Differences in executive functioning between violent and non-violent offenders
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DOI：
10.1017/s0033291717000241
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发表时间：
2017-07-01
影响因子：
6.9
通讯作者：
Cuijpers, P.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Meijers, J.;Harte, J. M.;Cuijpers, P.
背景越来越多的神经心理学和神经生物学研究表明，前额叶皮层的功能与犯罪和暴力行为之间存在联系。前额叶皮层对执行功能至关重要，如抑制、注意力、工作记忆、定势转换和计划。这些功能的缺陷--前额叶缺陷--可能导致反社会、冲动甚至攻击性行为。虽然一些荟萃分析显示，前额叶功能障碍，执行功能障碍和犯罪之间的关系的影响量大，有很少的研究调查暴力和非暴力罪犯之间的执行功能的差异。考虑到识别暴力犯罪的风险因素的相关性，目前的研究探讨是否可以使用广泛的神经心理测试电池暴力和非暴力罪犯之间的区别。对130名男性在押人员进行了广泛的神经心理测试（剑桥自动神经心理测试组合; CANTAB），测量了反应抑制、计划、注意力、定势转换、工作记忆和冲动/奖励敏感性。暴力犯罪者在停止信号任务（部分相关r = 0.205，p = 0.024）上表现得更差，这是一项测量反应抑制的任务。暴力犯罪者和非暴力犯罪者之间没有发现进一步的差异。探索性分析显示累犯与计划犯罪之间存在显著相关（偏相关r =-0.209，p = 0.016）。与非暴力罪犯相比，暴力罪犯表现出更差的反应抑制，这表明暴力罪犯比非暴力罪犯有更明显的前额叶赤字。
Background. A growing body of neuropsychological and neurobiological research shows a relationship between functioning of the prefrontal cortex and criminal and violent behaviour. The prefrontal cortex is crucial for executive functions such as inhibition, attention, working memory, set-shifting and planning. A deficit in these functions-a prefrontal deficit-may result in antisocial, impulsive or even aggressive behaviour. While several meta-analyses show large effect sizes for the relationship between a prefrontal deficit, executive dysfunction and criminality, there are few studies investigating differences in executive functions between violent and non-violent offenders. Considering the relevance of identifying risk factors for violent offending, the current study explores whether a distinction between violent and non-violent offenders can be made using an extensive neuropsychological test battery.Method. Male remand prisoners (N = 130) in Penitentiary Institution Amsterdam Over-Amstel were administered an extensive neuropsychological test battery (Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Test Battery; CANTAB) measuring response inhibition, planning, attention, set-shifting, working memory and impulsivity/reward sensitivity.Results. Violent offenders performed significantly worse on the stop-signal task (partial correlation r = 0.205, p = 0.024), a task measuring response inhibition. No further differences were found between violent and non-violent offenders. Explorative analyses revealed a significant relationship between recidivism and planning (partial correlation r = -0.209, p = 0.016).Conclusion. Violent offenders show worse response inhibition compared to non-violent offenders, suggesting a more pronounced prefrontal deficit in violent offenders than in non-violent offenders.