Empathy – behavioral and neural correlates in pedophilia and sexual offending against children

Hintergrund: Aufgrund widersprüchlicher Daten zum Zusammenhang zwischen Empathie und („hands-on“) sexualisierter Gewalt gegen Kinder, werden sowohl ein Mangel als auch ein Überschuss an Empathie als Risikofaktoren für sexualisierte Gewalt gegen Kinder diskutiert. Heterogene Ergebnisse können auf methodische Faktoren zurückzuführen sein, z.B. den ausschließlichen Einsatz von Selbstberichtverfahren, die mangelnde Differenzierung zwischen der allgemeinen kognitiven und affektiven Empathie und der kognitiven und affektiven Empathie für eigene oder potentielle Tatopfer, sowie die fehlende Berücksichtigung einer pädophilen Sexualpräferenz bei der Auswahl der Studiengruppen. Ziel: Unter Berücksichtigung der genannten Faktoren verfolgte die Arbeit das Ziel, die Datenlage zum möglichen Zusammenhang zwischen der Empathiefähigkeit bei Pädophilie und sexualisierter Gewalt gegen Kinder zu erweitern. Methodik: Verglichen wurden pädophile Männer, die („hands-on“) sexualisierte Gewalt gegen Kinder begangen haben (P+CSO), pädophile Männer bei denen keine („hands-on“) sexualisierte Gewalt gegen Kinder bekannt ist (P-CSO) und nicht-pädophile, nicht-straffällige männliche Kontrollpersonen (TC). In Studie 1 wurde die allgemeine kognitive und affektive Empathie mit dem Saarbrücker Persönlichkeitsfragebogen untersucht. Zudem kam eine Adaption des computerbasierten Multifaceted Empathy Test zum Einsatz, um sowohl die allgemeine kognitive und affektive Empathie als auch die kognitive und affektive Empathie für verschiedene Altersgruppen zu untersuchen. In Studie 2 wurde die zeitliche Stabilität möglicher Gruppenunterschiede im Hinblick auf die Empathie untersucht. In Studie 3 wurden hirnfunktionelle Gruppenunterschiede während der Bearbeitung einer fMRT-Aufgabe zur Erfassung der kognitiven Empathie untersucht. Ergebnisse: In Studie 1 wurde eine geringere kognitive Empathie bei P+CSO als bei P-CSO gezeigt (TC dazwischenliegend). Zudem wurde bei Pädophilen (P-CSO, P+CSO) eine höhere affektive Empathie für Kinder und ein höheres Stresserleben angesichts der Beobachtung emotionaler Zustände anderer als bei TC gemessen. In Studie 2 wurde die zeitliche Stabilität der geringeren kognitiven Empathie bei P+CSO verglichen mit P-CSO (TC dazwischenliegend) sowie die höhere affektive Empathie für Kinder und das höhere Stresserleben bei P-CSO verglichen mit TC (P+CSO dazwischenliegend) bestätigt. In Studie 3 wurden hirnfunktionelle Unterschiede und eine stärkere funktionelle Koppelung in Regionen der kognitiven Empathie zwischen P-CSO im Vergleich zu P+CSO und TC gezeigt. Schlussfolgerung: Die Ergebnisse lassen vermuten, dass eine geringe kognitive Empathie ein Risikofaktor für sexualisierte Gewalt gegen Kinder darstellen könnte, wohingegen die affektive Empathie für Kindern und das Stresserleben eher mit einer pädophilen Sexualpräferenz assoziiert zu sein scheinen. Die Erkenntnisse lassen sich für die Anpassung von therapeutischen Interventionen in der Arbeit mit Pädophilen nutzen.Background: Due to inconclusive research findings on empathy and sexual offending against children, lower and higher levels of empathy are discussed as risk factors for child sexual offending. Heterogenous results might stem from methodological factors, such as the exclusive use of self-report questionnaires, the lacking differentiation between general cognitive and affective empathy and cognitive and affective empathy for own or potential victims, and the inclusion of study groups that did not consider a pedophilic sexual preference. Objective: Taking these factors into account, the aim of the present research was to broaden the data base on possible links between empathy, pedophilia, and child sexual offending. Methods: Participants included pedophilic men (P) with a reported (“hands-on”) history of child sexual offending (P+CSO), pedophilic men without known history of (“hands-on”) child sexual offending (P-CSO), and non-pedophilic, non-delinquent male controls (TC). In study 1 general cognitive and affective empathy were assessed using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Additionally, an adaptation of the computer-based Multifaceted Empathy Test was employed to asses general cognitive and affective empathy and cognitive and affective empathy for varying age groups. In study 2, stability over time of potential group differences between empathy measures were studied. Study 3 investigated brain functional group differences during a cognitive empathy task. Results: In study 1 we observed lower cognitive empathy in P+CSO compared to P-CSO (TC intermediate). Moreover, we found higher affective empathy to children and higher levels of distress in pedophilic men (P+CSO, P-CSO) compared to TC. In study 2 temporal stability of lower cognitive empathy in P+CSO compared to P-CSO (TC intermediate) and higher affective empathy to children and distress in P-CSO compared to TC (P+CSO intermediate) were confirmed. In study 3 we found evidence for neural group differences and increased task-dependent functional coupling between brain regions associated with cognitive empathy in P-CSO compared to P+CSO and TC. Conclusion: The results suggest that lower cognitive empathy may act as a risk factor for child sexual offending, whereas affective empathy to children and personal distress might rather be associated with a pedophilic sexual preference. These findings can be used to fine tune interventions for pedophilic individuals

Rationale and Design of the Leipzig (LIFE) Heart Study: Phenotyping and Cardiovascular Characteristics of Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

We established the Leipzig (LIFE) Heart Study, a biobank and database of patients with different stages of coronary artery disease (CAD) for studies of clinical, metabolic, cellular and genetic factors of cardiovascular diseases.The Leipzig (LIFE) Heart Study (NCT00497887) is an ongoing observational angiographic study including subjects with different entities of CAD. Cohort 1, patients undergoing first-time diagnostic coronary angiography due to suspected stable CAD with previously untreated coronary arteries. Cohort 2, patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) requiring percutaneous revascularization. Cohort 3, patients with known left main coronary artery disease (LMCAD).We present preliminary results of demographics and phenotyping based on a 4-years analysis of a total of 3,165 subjects. Cohort 1 (n=2,274) shows the typical distribution of elective coronary angiography cohorts with 43% cases with obstructive CAD and 37% normal angiograms. Cohorts 2 and 3 consist of 590 and 301 subjects, respectively, adding patients with severe forms of CAD. The suitability of the database and biobank to perform association studies was confirmed by replication of the CAD susceptibility locus on chromosome 9p21 (OR per allele: 1.55 (any CAD), 1.54 (MI), 1.74 (LMCAD), p<10(-6), respectively). A novel finding was that patients with LMCAD had a stronger association with 9p21 than patients with obstructive CAD without LMCAD (OR 1.22, p=0.042). In contrast, 9p21 did not associate with myocardial infarction in excess of stable CAD.The Leipzig (LIFE) Heart Study provides a basis to identify molecular targets related to atherogenesis and associated metabolic disorders. The study may contribute to an improvement of individual prediction, prevention, and treatment of CAD

Neural processing associated with cognitive empathy in pedophilia and child sexual offending

Behavioral studies found evidence for superior cognitive empathy (CE) in pedophilic men without a history of child sexual offending (P - CSO) compared to pedophilic men with a history of child sexual offending (P + CSO). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies also point to differences between P - CSO and P + CSO. Neural processing associated with CE has not yet been investigated. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the neural correlates of CE in subjects with pedophilia with (P + CSO) and without (P - CSO) child sexual offending. 15 P + CSO, 15 P - CSO and 24 teleiophilic male controls (TC) performed a CE task during fMRI. We observed reduced activation in the left precuneus (Pcu) and increased activation in the left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in P - CSO compared to P + CSO. P - CSO also showed stronger connectivity between these regions, which might reflect a top-down modulation of the Pcu by the ACC toward an increased self-focused emotional reaction in social situations. There was also evidence for increased right superior temporal gyrus activation in P - CSO that might constitute a potentially compensatory recruitment due to the dampened Pcu activation. These findings provide first evidence for altered neural processing of CE in P - CSO and underline the importance of addressing CE in pedophilia and CSO in order to uncover processes relevant to effective prevention of child sexual abuse

Überfachliche Kompetenzen stärken: Anregungen für die Planung, Förderung und Einschätzung überfachlicher Kompetenzen

Das vorliegende Dossier liefert Impulse für die Planung, Förderung und Einschätzung der überfachlichen Kompetenzen. Anhand eines theoretischen Überblicks, einer Checkliste für die Planung, detailliert ausgearbeiteter Praxisbeispiele, mehrerer Berichte von Lehrpersonen aus dem Schulalltag sowie eines Katalogs mit Anregungen zur Förderung in den drei Zyklen werden verschiedene Vorgehens- und Umsetzungsweisen dargestellt

Impact of cocoa flavanol intake on age-dependent vascular stiffness in healthy men: a randomized, controlled, double-masked trial

Increased vascular stiffness, endothelial dysfunction, and isolated systolic hypertension are hallmarks of vascular aging. Regular cocoa flavanol (CF) intake can improve vascular function in healthy young and elderly at-risk individuals. However, the mechanisms underlying CF bioactivity remain largely unknown. We investigated the effects of CF intake on cardiovascular function in healthy young and elderly individuals without history, signs, or symptoms of cardiovascular disease by applying particular focus on functional endpoints relevant to cardiovascular aging. In a randomized, controlled, double-masked, parallel-group dietary intervention trial, 22 young (<35yrs) and 20 elderly (50-80yrs) healthy, male non- smokers consumed either a CF-containing drink (450mg CF) or nutrient-matched, CF-free control drink bi-daily for 14 days. The primary endpoint was endothelial function as measured by flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD). Secondary endpoints included cardiac output, vascular stiffness, conductance of conduit and resistance arteries, and perfusion in the microcirculation. Following 2 weeks of CF intake, FMD improved in young (6.1±0.7% vs. 7.6±0.7%, p<0.001) and elderly (4.9±0.6% vs. 6.3±0.9%, p<0.001). Secondary outcomes demonstrated in both groups that CF intake decreased pulse wave velocity and lowered total peripheral resistance, increased arteriolar- and microvascular vasodilator capacity, red cell deformability, and diastolic blood pressure, while cardiac output remained affected. In the elderly, baseline systolic blood pressure was elevated, driven by an arterial stiffness-related augmentation. CF intake decreased aortic augmentation index (-9%), and thus systolic blood pressure (-7mmHg). (Clinicaltrials.gov:NCT01639781) CF intake reverses age-related burden of cardiovascular risk in healthy elderly, highlighting the potential of dietary flavanols to maintain cardiovascular health

Family Planning Decisions, Perceptions and Gender Dynamics among Couples in Mwanza, Tanzania: A Qualitative Study.

Contraceptive use is low in developing countries which are still largely driven by male dominated culture and patriarchal values. This study explored family planning (FP) decisions, perceptions and gender dynamics among couples in Mwanza region of Tanzania. Twelve focus group discussions and six in-depth interviews were used to collect information from married or cohabiting males and females aged 18-49. The participants were purposively selected. Qualitative methods were used to explore family planning decisions, perceptions and gender dynamics among couples. A guide with questions related to family planning perceptions, decisions and gender dynamics was used. The discussions and interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed manually and subjected to content analysis. Four themes emerged during the study. First, "risks and costs" which refer to the side effects of FP methods and the treatment of side -effects as well as the costs inherit in being labeled as an unfaithful spouse. Second, "male involvement" as men showed little interest in participating in family planning issues. However, the same men were mentioned as key decision-makers even on the number of children a couple should have and the child spacing of these children. Third, "gender relations and communication" as participants indicated that few women participated in decision-making on family planning and the number of children to have. Fourth, "urban-rural differences", life in rural favoring having more children than urban areas therefore, the value of children depended on the place of residence. Family Planning programs should adapt the promotion of communication as well as joint decision-making on FP among couples as a strategy aimed at enhancing FP use

Women and ARVâ based prevention: opportunities and challenges

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138349/1/jia29419.pd