How are you coping?:Stress, coping, burnout, and aggression in forensic mental healthcare workers

IntroductionPerceived stress at work has been linked to several adverse outcomes in workers, including increased risk of burnout and aggression (e.g., anger and irritability). However, much remains unknown about factors that might mitigate the negative influences of perceived stress on workers' well-being. This study focusses on coping as a possible protective factor against perceived stress and its consequences in forensic mental healthcare workers. We aimed to identify which higher-order coping factors were present in this worker sample and to investigate whether these coping factors modify the associations between perceived stress and burnout or aggression.MethodsFor this observational survey study, 116 forensic mental healthcare workers completed questionnaires assessing changes in work situation since the start of COVID-19, perceived stress, coping, burnout symptoms, and aggression.ResultsResults from principal component analysis indicated that four higher-order coping factors could be distinguished: social support and emotional coping, positive cognitive restructuring, problem-focused coping, and passive coping. Higher perceived stress levels were associated with higher levels of both burnout and aggression in workers. Problem-focused coping was associated with less burnout symptoms in workers. Furthermore, positive cognitive restructuring was associated with less aggression in workers.DiscussionIn conclusion, problem-focused coping and positive cognitive restructuring may protect workers against burnout symptoms and aggression and these results may inform future studies on preventive interventions aimed at promoting worker's well-being

Sensory processing and aggressive behavior in adults with autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be accompanied by aggressive behavior and is associated with sensory processing di

FoReTech: eHealth technology development in forensic mental health

FoReTech: eHealth technology development in forensic mental health eHealth is the use of technology to improve health, healthcare and wellbeing. Research and practice have identified multiple advantages and possibilities of the use of these eHealth technologies, such as apps, web-based interventions, wearables and virtual reality, for forensic mental health. However, use in practice is lagging behind: uptake of these technologies is slow and often there is no good fit between the technology and the context in which it is used. In order to bridge the gap between eHealth’s potential and its actual use, proper design, implementation and evaluation is pivotal. This presentation addresses the issues described above. First of all, an overview of the current state of eHealth is provided. Examples of technologies that are being used in Dutch forensic mental health are used to illustrate the possibilities and limitations. Second, an explanation of the relevance of good eHealth development for increasing the fit between technology, people and the forensic mental health context is provided. Attention will be paid to the why and how of design, implementation and evaluation. This is based on recent insights, research findings and development models such as the CeHRes Roadmap. Third, a case from practice will be used to illustrate the development process of eHealth for forensic mental health. In this case, a VR application for treatments in Dutch forensic mental health is developed in close cooperation with patients. This development process is guided by the CeHRes Roadmap. FoReTech: Monitoring and coaching of precursors of violence via technology In the treatment of forensic psychiatric outpatients, a therapist is (often) not present when a violent outburst occurs, and can only discuss undesired behaviour before or after it has happened. Technology, however, can be present 24/7. It has the ability to provide just-in-time feedback to prevent undesired behaviour by intervening before escalations actually occur. In order to know when to intervene, a technology needs to monitor specific precursors (or predictors) of violence. Examples of these precursors are physiological arousal, conflict between partners, and geographical location. These precursors can be monitored via technology, e.g. a smartwatch that measures heartrate variability and skin conductance, experience sampling via a smartphone, or the GPS function of a phone. In a subproject of FoReTech, a monitoring and coaching technology for reactive intimate partner violence (IPV) is being developed. The development process starts by studying the biopsychosocial precursors of reactive IPV via mental models of experts combined with scientific literature. After the behaviour and its precursors have been analysed, an interdisciplinary team will determine how to monitor the most important precursors via technology. In close cooperation with patients, their partners and therapists, a technology that uses the monitoring data to coach patients and their partners in reducing IPV will be created. This development process will be guided by principles and methods from different approaches, such as participatory development, behaviour change theories and persuasive technology. This presentation will discuss the development process and provide insight into the possibilities and challenges of monitoring & coaching technologies in forensic mental health

Differentiating Individuals Convicted of Sexual Offenses: A Two-Country Latent Class Analysis

Sexual offenses are often part of a larger criminal career also encompassing nonsexual crimes. However, most sexual offending typologies focus on an individual’s most recent sexual offense. We compare data from Belgian and Dutch national conviction cohorts and use latent class analysis to distinguish groups of individuals based on their history of sexual and nonsexual offenses, considering continuity and variety. The resulting classification is compared between individuals convicted of sexual offenses and individuals convicted of nonsexual offenses. Results show that four latent classes can be distinguished based on continuity and variety in criminal histories of individuals convicted of sexual offenses, and that some of these classes resemble those distinguished among individuals convicted of nonsexual offenses. We find limited overlap between these latent classes and typologies based solely on the index offense. Results show marked similarities across countries. These results challenge theories of sexual offending to incorporate patterns of nonsexual offending

JHP_SupplementA – Supplemental material for Psychosocial interventions enhance HIV medication adherence: A systematic review and meta-analysis

<p>Supplemental material, JHP_SupplementA for Psychosocial interventions enhance HIV medication adherence: A systematic review and meta-analysis by Pascalle Spaan, Sanne van Luenen, Nadia Garnefski and Vivian Kraaij in Journal of Health Psychology</p

Differentiating individuals convicted of sexual offenses : a two-country latent class analysis

Sexual offenses are often part of a larger criminal career also encompassing nonsexual crimes. However, most sexual offending typologies focus on an individual’s most recent sexual offense. We compare data from Belgian and Dutch national conviction cohorts and use latent class analysis to distinguish groups of individuals based on their history of sexual and nonsexual offenses, considering continuity and variety. The resulting classification is compared between individuals convicted of sexual offenses and individuals convicted of nonsexual offenses. Results show that four latent classes can be distinguished based on continuity and variety in criminal histories of individuals convicted of sexual offenses, and that some of these classes resemble those distinguished among individuals convicted of nonsexual offenses. We find limited overlap between these latent classes and typologies based solely on the index offense. Results show marked similarities across countries. These results challenge theories of sexual offending to incorporate patterns of nonsexual offending

JHP_SupplementB – Supplemental material for Psychosocial interventions enhance HIV medication adherence: A systematic review and meta-analysis

<p>Supplemental material, JHP_SupplementB for Psychosocial interventions enhance HIV medication adherence: A systematic review and meta-analysis by Pascalle Spaan, Sanne van Luenen, Nadia Garnefski and Vivian Kraaij in Journal of Health Psychology</p