Cognitive behavioral therapy to reduce overt aggression behavior in Chinese young male violent offenders

Abstract

This 9-week study was designed to determine whether a commercial cognitive-behavioral training program could effectively reduce overt aggression behavior in Chinese young male violent offenders. Sixty-six participants were randomly assigned to receive routine intervention alone (control group) or routine intervention plus Williams LifeSkills Training (WLST group) in a 1:1 ratio. The primary outcome was change scores on the Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS) from baseline to one week following end of training. Secondary outcomes were change scores on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11) and Cook-Medley Hostility Scale (CMHS). There were significant between-group differences in change of MOAS total score (P < .001) and all sub-scores (Ps < .01) except aggression against property. Between-group differences were also observed in change of BIS-11 and CMHS total score (Ps < 0.05). All results favored the WLST group. These findings suggest WLST has the potential to be an effective intervention to reduce overt aggressive behavior in young male violent offenders.

Effcacy of Williams LifeSkills Training in improving psychological health of Chinese male juvenile violent offenders: a randomized controlled study

“…These findings reinforce our similar previous fi ndings that WLST improves psychosocial health in Chinese medical students [18] , as well as our prior study in this same incarcerated population of young male offenders in which WLST produced significant reductions in overt aggressive tendencies, hostility, and impulsivity [17] .…”

A Randomized Controlled Trial Exploring the Effects of Brief Anger Management on Community-Based Offenders in Malta

“…For example, Heseltine et al (2010) found no reductions in measures of anger following a 20-hr anger management program except for increased anger knowledge post-intervention. However, Chen et al (2014) found significant post-treatment reduction in self-reported hostility, impulsivity, and observed aggression in their RCT on anger management for young offenders. Thus, it indicated that anger management was successful in reducing symptoms associated with anger dysregulation.…”

Association between schizophrenia and violence among Chinese female offenders

“…Improving education levels as well as mental health literacy may be a potentially useful approach to lower the risk of violence in SCZ. Previous studies have also found that appropriate cognitive, behavioral and life skills training could reduce aggressive behavior in young male violent offenders 41, 42 .…”