Executive Dysfunction Predicts Delinquency But Not Characteristics of Sexual Aggression Among Adolescent Sexual Offenders

Burton, David L.; Demuynck, Sophia; Yoder, Jamie

doi:10.1177/1079063214556357

Cited by 20 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Twenty-two out of the 48 studies in this scoping review reported the psychometric characteristics of the BRIEF. Apart from two studies (Burton et al, 2016; Owens et al, 2016) where the reported sub-scale internal consistency of the BRIEF was below the recommended cut-off standard of 0.70 (Cicchetti, 1994), all the other reported reliabilities (Cronbach alphas, inter-rater and test-retest) ranged from good to excellent. BRIEF appears to be a valid measure of EF in terms of its construct, concurrent, and discriminant validity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Assessing Executive Function in Adolescence: A Scoping Review of Existing Measures and Their Psychometric Robustness

et al. 2019

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Background: There is much research examining adolescents' executive function (EF) but there is little information about tools that measure EF, in particular preference of use, their reliability and validity. This information is important as to help both researchers and practitioners select the most relevant and reliable measure of EF to use with adolescents in their context. Aims: We conducted a scoping review to: (a) identify the measures of EF that have been used in studies conducted among adolescents in the past 15 years; (b) identify the most frequently used measures of EF; and (c) establish the psychometric robustness of existing EF measures used with adolescents. Methods: We searched three bibliographic databases (PsycINFO, Ovid Medline, and Web of Science) using key terms “ Adolescents ,” “ Executive Functions ,” and “ measures” . The search covered research articles published between 1st January 2002 and 31st July 2017. Results: We identified a total of 338 individual measures of EF from 705 eligible studies. The vast majority of these studies (95%) were conducted in high income countries. Of the identified measures, 10 were the most used frequently, with a cumulative percent frequency accounting for nearly half (44%) the frequency of usage of all reported measures of EF. These are: Digit Span (count = 160), Trail Making Test (count = 158), Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (count = 148), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (count = 140), Verbal Fluency Tasks (count = 88), Stroop Color-Word Test (count = 78), Classical Stroop Task (count = 63), Color-Word Interference Test from Delis-Kaplan battery (count = 62), Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (count = 62), and Original Continuous Performance Test (count = 58). In terms of paradigms, tasks from Span (count = 235), Stroop (count = 216), Trails (count = 171), Card sorting (count = 166), Continuous performance (count = 99), and Tower (count = 94) paradigms were frequently used. Only 48 studies out of the included 705 reported the reliability and/or validity of measures of EF used with adolescents, but limited to studies in high income countries. Conclusion: We conclude that there is a wide array of measures for assessing EF among adolescents. Ten of these measures are frequently used. However, the evidence of psychometric robustness of measures of EF used with adolescents remains limited to support the validity of their usage across different contexts.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Assessing Executive Function in Adolescence: A Scoping Review of Existing Measures and Their Psychometric Robustness

et al. 2019

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“…This suggests that perhaps these deficits could contribute to offense patterns differentially such that youth who only commit sexual crimes may not be as astute in assessing consequences or the impact of behavior. Some of these characteristics have been previously studied, and although researchers have documented disinhibitions and limited behavioral and emotional regulation among youth who commit sexual crimes (Burton et al, 2016; Miner, 2002; Stinson et al, 2008), there is inconclusive evidence underlying how such deficits actually predict criminal behavior. Further prospective research needs to evaluate these executive functioning capacities in relation to the criminal behavior perpetrated by the youth, as some offenses may require more planning, thought, and strategy, whereas others may be linked to more impulsivity; such distinctions may also depend on certain trait characteristics of offenders (Lawing, Frick, & Cruise, 2010; van Wijk et al, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is growing evidence to support a relationship between executive function deficits and youth criminality (Burton, Demuynck, & Yoder, 2016; Hoaken et al, 2007; Kelly et al, 2002; Morais et al, 2016; Zou et al, 2013). Relative to general population youth, juvenile offenders show higher rates of impairments in executive functioning including lower intellectual capacity exhibited by lower IQ scores and inhibited abilities related to executive functioning (Zou et al, 2013).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Relative to general population youth, juvenile offenders show higher rates of impairments in executive functioning including lower intellectual capacity exhibited by lower IQ scores and inhibited abilities related to executive functioning (Zou et al, 2013). In attempting to demarcate subtypes of juvenile offenders, research reveals clinical deficits in executive functioning features of meta-cognition and behavioral regulation among juveniles who commit sexual crimes (Burton et al, 2016). Further between-group comparative analyses suggest similar impaired levels of executive functioning among youth who commit sexual and non-sexual crimes, although the presentation of such impairments may differ depending on offender subtype (Morais et al, 2016; Veneziano et al, 2004).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Victimization Experiences and Executive Dysfunction as Discriminating Risk Indicators for Youth Offender Typologies

Yoder

Precht

2019

Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol

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Research is becoming increasingly nuanced in its examination of offenders, and thus typological distinctions according to generalist and/or specialization offense profiles may be notable for targeted intervention efforts within and between classifications of offenders. There is a significant body of evidence identifying early-life victimization and executive function deficits as critical developmental antecedents to sexual and non-sexual offending alike, but they have not been exhaustively evaluated as a discernable experience among criminally versatile offenders (youth who commit both sexual and non-sexual crimes). This study aims to address gaps by examining associations between early-life victimization, other traumatic experiences in the home, and executive functioning deficits and then test how disparate offending groups differentially experience these early risks. Using a sample of juvenile-justice-involved youth ( N = 200), who committed sexual only offenses ( n = 41), non-sexual only offenses ( n = 124), and criminally versatile offenders ( n = 27), multivariate analysis of variance tests and bivariate correlations were conducted. Results revealed that there were statistically significant correlations between measures of executive functioning and specific incidents of victimization, particularly sexual, physical, and emotional. There were also significant group differences in measures of sexual abuse, physical and emotional abuse, and executive functioning with criminally versatile offenders showing higher rates of physical and emotional abuse and sexual only offenders showing higher rates of sexual abuse and some executive functioning deficits. Practice and research implications are discussed.

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“…Only eight published neuropsychological studies are currently available for juveniles who have sexually offended (JSO) (Burton, Demuynck, & Yoder, 2016; Gillis, 2005; Kelly, Richardson, Hunter, & Knapp, 2002; Morais, Joyal, Alexander, Fix, & Burkhart, 2016; Salat, 2009; Tarter, Hegedus, Alterman, & Katz-Garris, 1983; Veneziano, Veneziano, Legrand, & Richards, 2004; Wahlberg, Kennedy, & Simpson, 2003). As expected, JSO were found to have impairments in executive functions when compared with adolescents recruited from the general population (Gillis, 2005) and with adolescents matched for socioeconomic status (Kelly et al, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Executive Functions and Social Cognition in Juveniles Who Have Sexually Offended

2018

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Although neuropsychological assessments provide valuable information for those working in forensic mental health, few neuropsychological studies concern persons who sexually offend, particularly juveniles who have sexually offended (JSO). It has been suggested that, contrary to current theories, executive function in JSO, as a group, is no more impaired than it is in juvenile delinquents in general. However, JSO with child victims seem to be more impulsive than JSO whose victims are peers or adults. To verify this potentially important (and unexpected) finding, a sample of adolescent males ( N = 134; 15.6 ± 1.5 years old) that included JSO, general delinquents, and underprivileged nondelinquents was assessed using a battery of behavioral and psychological tests that focus on impulsivity. No difference was found between groups regarding higher order executive functions as measured with the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task but JSO with child victims were found to be the most impulsive subgroup as evidenced with the Iowa Gambling Task, the Stop-Signal Reaction Task, and the Impulsive scale of the Social Problem Solving Inventory. They also had the highest number of prescriptions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication. These results, which contradict hypotheses derived from assessment of adult sex offenders, illustrate an important difference between the cognitive profiles of adult and juvenile males who sexually offended. They also confirm that JSO whose victims are children appear to be more impulsive.

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Executive Dysfunction Predicts Delinquency But Not Characteristics of Sexual Aggression Among Adolescent Sexual Offenders

Cited by 20 publications

References 34 publications

Assessing Executive Function in Adolescence: A Scoping Review of Existing Measures and Their Psychometric Robustness

Assessing Executive Function in Adolescence: A Scoping Review of Existing Measures and Their Psychometric Robustness

Victimization Experiences and Executive Dysfunction as Discriminating Risk Indicators for Youth Offender Typologies

Executive Functions and Social Cognition in Juveniles Who Have Sexually Offended

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