Investigating alexithymia as a predictor of suicidality and aggression in prisoners

述情障碍反映了情绪认知加工的缺陷。在一般人群中，识别和管理主观情绪状态的困难与危险行为(如自杀和暴力)的可能性增加有关。自杀和攻击行为在囚犯样本中更为普遍，然而述情障碍在这一高危群体中的作用尚未得到解释。目的是调查述情障碍与成年男性囚犯自杀和攻击行为的关系。假设：1.述情障碍显著预测自杀和攻击行为，在控制已知的危险因素后，这些关联仍然存在。述情障碍显著预测自杀和攻击性，与自杀和攻击性的初始水平无关。核心图式(对自我和他人的信念)和冲动将缓和述情障碍和自杀/攻击之间的联系。所有三项研究都将招募最近有自杀或攻击行为经历的囚犯。第一项研究将使用定性方法(扎根理论)来调查述情障碍的起源以及它与自杀和攻击性的联系。第二项研究将整理一个大型数据集，以调查关键的心理预测因素，并使用回归模型来验证述情障碍和自杀/攻击行为的模型。随后的纵向研究将随着时间的推移检验这一模式。最后一项研究将在前三项研究工作的基础上进行经验抽样(日记研究)。ESM特别适合于临床领域的研究，因为它收集了丰富的数据，捕捉了易于定量分析的主观经验。这是一个新的研究领域，将为理解危险行为的机制做出实质性的理论贡献。通过提供更准确的自杀/攻击性风险评估，以及为有风险的囚犯提供心理治疗计划的内容，它具有明显的临床应用潜力。在心理科学学院内实施该项目，并招募具有囚犯自杀经验的服务用户顾问，将支持博士生发展以下额外技能：1.在法医精神健康研究中实施患者和公众参与(PPI)倡议，以及解决更广泛的社会责任问题的方法，例如需要开展有影响力的研究，并以可理解和广泛的方式传播研究结果。利用与我们现有服务用户研究小组的联系，这一博士项目的第一步将包括建立一个专门的法医服务用户参考小组，其成员将为研究过程的所有方面做出贡献。普拉特是PPI和社会责任研究学院的负责人，这将有助于培养这些PPI技能的发展。让我们的NHS和HM监狱服务处的同事们具备协作技能，这将涉及对NHS服务在监狱内的运作以及开发和提供罪犯健康服务的挑战和优先事项，包括公共卫生角度的严格理解。

Alexithymia reflects a deficit in the cognitive processing of emotions. Difficulties identifying and managing subjective emotional states is associated with an increased likelihood of risky behaviours, e.g. suicide & violence, in the general population. Suicidal and aggressive behaviour is more prevalent within prisoner samples and yet the role of alexithymia within this high risk group has yet to be explained.The objective is to investigate the relationship between alexithymia and suicidal and aggressive behaviours within adult male prisoners.Hypotheses:1. Alexithymia significantly predicts suicidality and aggression, and these associations remain after controlling for known risk factors.2. Alexithymia significantly predicts suicidality and aggression across time, independent of initial levels of suicidality and aggression.3. Core schema (beliefs about self and others) and impulsivity will moderate the link between alexithymia and suicidality / aggression.All three studies will recruit prisoners with recent experiences of suicidal or aggressive behaviours. The first study will use qualitative methods (grounded theory) to investigate the origins of alexithymia and how it links with suicidality and aggression. The second study will collate a large dataset to investigate key psychological predictors, with regression modelling used to validate a model of alexithymia and suicidal/aggressive behaviours. A subsequent longitudinal study will examine this model over time. The final study will develop Experience Sampling (diary studies) to build on the work of the first three studies. ESM is particularly suited to research in clinical domains because it collects rich data which captures subjective experiences that are amenable to quantitative analyses.This is a novel research area which will make a substantial theoretical contribution to understanding the mechanisms for risky behaviours. It has clear potential for clinical application by informing the more precise risk assessment of suicidality / aggression, as well as informing the content of psychological therapy programmes for at-risk prisoners.Situating the project within the School of Psychological Sciences, and recruiting service user advisors with personal experience of prisoner suicidality, will support the PhD student's development of the following additional skills:1. The implementation of patient and public involvement (PPI) initiatives in forensic mental health research and ways of addressing wider issues of social responsibility, such as the need to carry out impactful research and to disseminate findings accessibly and broadly. Taking advantage of links with our existing service user research groups, one of the first steps of this PhD project will involve setting up a dedicated Forensic Service User Reference Group, the members of which will contribute to all aspects of the research process. Pratt is the School lead for PPI & Social Responsibility in Research, which will help to nurture the development of these PPI skills.2. Collaborative skills involving our NHS and HM Prison Service colleagues which will involve a rigorous understanding of the operation of NHS services within prisons, and of the challenges and priorities of the development and delivery of offender health services, including public health perspectives.