Exploring the relationships between personality disorder, sexual preoccupation, and adverse childhood experiences among individuals who have previously sexually offended

Sexual offending creates a significant public health issue (Mann, Hanson & Thornton, 2010), whereby having a better understanding of the underlying factors related to sexual offending will result in more effective prevention, assessment, and intervention (Seto, 2019). Various factors are identified as aetiological factors for sexual offending, or risk factors for recidivism, including adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), problematic personality traits, intimacy deficits, deviant sexual preferences, and sexual preoccupation (Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2005; Mann et al., 2010). Personality disorders (PDs) are highly prevalent among Individuals Who Have Previously Sexually Offended (IPSO; Chen, Chen & Hung, 2016; Craissati & Blundell, 2013), with this relationship being recognised in the UK by the development of the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway in 2011. However, there are issues regarding the current screening procedure in that it predominantly screens for antisocial and borderline PDs, meaning that a proportion of IPSO with a range of other PDs may be being missed. Furthermore, the prevalence of PDs among IPSO housed in UK prison establishments has not yet been explored. Another factor which is thought to contribute to the aetiology of sexual offending is Sexual Preoccupation (SP; Seto, 2019; Ward & Beech, 2017), which is one of the most strongly present treatment needs among IPSO in the UK (Hocken, 2014). Nonetheless, it is the only risk factor that is not currently addressed by psychological treatment programs for IPSO in the UK (Lievesley, 2019). A tentative link has been reported between PD and SP among IPSO, with sexually preoccupied IPSO presenting with a different personality profile compared to those without SP (Berman-Roberts, 2015). Given that these individuals have acted upon their sexual thoughts and engaged in illegal sexual behaviour, it is imperative to learn more about the underlying mechanisms of SP in order to inform and enhance assessment and treatment (Jardin et al., 2017), which is the main aim of this thesis. Additionally, ACEs are an integral part of understanding sexual offending (Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2005; Levenson, 2014), and are also implicated in the aetiology of PD and SP (Courtois & Weiss, 2018; Zanarini, 2000), whereby PD symptomology and SP may be better understood as functional responses deployed as ways of coping with these experiences. ACEs are now considered to be a public health ‘'crisis' (Anda, Butchart, Felitti & Brown, 2010), and studies have recently explored the prevalence of ACEs among prisoners in Scotland and Wales (Carnie, Broderick, Cameron, Downie & Williams, 2017; Ford et al., 2019). Yet, the prevalence of ACEs among IPSO housed in UK prison establishments has not yet been explored, nor the relationships between PD and ACEs, and SP and ACEs among this population. Therefore, ACEs were also included for exploration within this thesis in order to fully understand the relationship between PD and SP among IPSO. Through utilising a mixed-methods approach, this thesis offers the first in-depth exploration of the relationships between PD, SP, and ACEs among a sample of IPSO housed in two UK prison establishments. Study one (n = 203) explores the psychometric properties of two PD scales in a UK general population sample, before they were employed for use with a prison population. The second (n = 155) and third (n = 45) studies explore the prevalence of PD, SP, and ACEs among IPSO, as well as the relationships between PD and SP, PD and ACEs, and SP and ACEs. Finally, the fourth study (n = 5) explores the life trajectories and narrative identities of IPSO that experienced adverse environments during childhood and developed a preoccupation with sex and problematic personality traits. The findings reveal that attempting to understand the underlying mechanisms of SP is a complicated process, as SP manifests differently for each individual. SP may be used as a way to regulate emotions and manage stress, and/or as a way of managing identity and self-worth. Although this thesis provides support for the impulsivity and compulsivity models of SP, as well as it being used as a coping mechanism for anxiety and depression, it also highlights the relationships between SP and emotion dysregulation, and SP and impaired identity. Furthermore, the results bolster Montaldi's (2002) claim that some presentations of SP may be better understood through the use of PDs, whereby this thesis highlights the possibility of two pathways for IPSO with SP (in relation to borderline and narcissistic PDs). Multiple kinds of SP presentation suggest the need for multiple treatment approaches, and it is important for clinicians to tailor treatment according to the individual’s motivation for SP. In regard to the prevalence of PD among IPSO in the UK, a range of PDs (predominantly dependent, depressive, borderline, and avoidant PDs) were reported among IPSO housed in UK category C prison establishments. This has important implications for the current OPD pathway screening procedures, in that these may need amending to be more inclusive of the range of PDs present among IPSO, or specific services for IPSO with PD may need to be developed and implemented. Moreover, a large proportion of IPSO met the criteria for PD, and among these individuals, all of them experienced at least one ACE, with over half reporting four or more ACEs. Thus, this demonstrates the need for all services to adopt a trauma-informed and relational approach, whilst also highlighting how preventative measures are crucial in order to try and prevent the cyclical nature of ACEs, and to prevent individuals from coming into contact with the criminal justice system in the first place. This thesis concludes that PD and SP symptomology may be better understood as effective survival strategies to abnormal circumstances, and it is important that clinicians address this aspect of an individual's sense-making during treatment. Furthermore, a common thread throughout all studies is regarding impairments in identity. Therefore, a useful treatment target among IPSO is in relation to incoherence in the self-narrative, as having a coherent, pro-social identity is thought to be crucial to rehabilitation and desistance (Maruna, 2001). Clinicians should work from a Good Lives Model (GLM; Ward, Mann & Gannon, 2007) perspective in order to help individuals identify appropriate values and goals, and work towards a more appropriate narrative identity (Ward & Marshall, 2007). An individual’s protective factors should also be taken into account, in which peer-support roles and religiosity may play an important part in protecting individuals from future offending. Implications and limitations of all studies are discussed extensively throughout, as are opportunities for further research

Synthesis and structural analysis of the N-terminal domain of the thyroid hormone-binding protein transthyretin

Transthyretin (TTR) is a 55 kDa protein responsible for the transport of thyroid hormones and retinol in human serum. Misfolded forms of the protein are implicated in the amyloid diseases familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy and senile systemic amyloidosis. Its folding properties and stabilization by ligands are of current interest due to their importance in understanding and combating these diseases. To assist in such studies we developed a method for the solid phase synthesis of the monomeric unit of a TTR analogue and its folding to form a functional 55 kDa tetramer. The monomeric unit of the protein was chemically synthesized in three parts, comprising amino acid residues 151, 5499 and 102127, and ligated using chemoselective thioether ligation chemistry. The synthetic protein was folded and assembled to a tetrameric structure in the presence of the TTRs native ligand, thyroxine, as shown by gel filtration chromatography, native gel electrophoresis, TTR antibody recognition and thyroid hormone binding. In the current study the solution structure of the first of these fragment peptides, TTR(151) is examined to determine its intrinsic propensity to form beta-sheet structure, potentially involved in amyloid fibril formation by TTR. Despite the presence of extensive beta-structure in the native form of the protein, the Nterminal fragment adopts an essentially random coil conformation in solution

Reflected Light from Sand Grains in the Terrestrial Zone of a Protoplanetary Disk

We show that grains have grown to ~mm size (sand sized) or larger in the terrestrial zone (within ~3 AU) of the protoplanetary disk surrounding the 3 Myr old binary star KH 15D. We also argue that the reflected light in the system reaches us by back scattering off the far side of the same ring whose near side causes the obscuration.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figures. To be published in Nature, March 13, 2008. Contains a Supplemen

Effects of being watched on eye gaze and facial displays of typical and autistic individuals during conversation

Communication with others relies on coordinated exchanges of social signals, such as eye gaze and facial displays. However, this can only happen when partners are able to see each other. Although previous studies report that autistic individuals have difficulties in planning eye gaze and making facial displays during conversation, evidence from real-life dyadic tasks is scarce and mixed. Across two studies, here we investigate how eye gaze and facial displays of typical and high-functioning autistic individuals are modulated by the belief in being seen and potential to show true gaze direction. Participants were recorded with an eye-tracking and video-camera system while they completed a structured Q&A task with a confederate under three social contexts: pre-recorded video, video-call and face-to-face. Typical participants gazed less to the confederate and produced more facial displays when they were being watched and when they were speaking. Contrary to our hypotheses, eye gaze and facial motion patterns in autistic participants were overall similar to the typical group. This suggests that high-functioning autistic participants are able to use eye gaze and facial displays as social signals. Future studies will need to investigate to what extent this reflects spontaneous behaviour or the use of compensation strategies

Probing Density Fluctuations using the FIRST Radio Survey

We use results of angular clustering measurements in 3000 sq. deg's of the FIRST radio survey to infer information on spatial clustering. Measurements are compared with CDM-model predictions. Clustering of FIRST sources with optical ID's in the APM catalog are also investigated. Finally, we outline a preliminary search for a weak lensing signal in the survey.Comment: 6 pages latex, 2 figures, to appear in Cosmology with the New Radio Surveys (Kluwer

Nonverbal communication in virtual reality: Nodding as a social signal in virtual interactions

Nonverbal communication is an important part of human communication, including head nodding, eye gaze, proximity and body orientation. Recent research has identified specific patterns of head nodding linked to conversation, namely mimicry of head movements at 600 ms delay and fast nodding when listening. In this paper, we implemented these head nodding behaviour rules in virtual humans, and we tested the impact of these behaviours, and whether they lead to increases in trust and liking towards the virtual humans. We use Virtual Reality technology to simulate a face-to-face conversation, as VR provides a high level of immersiveness and social presence, very similar to face-to-face interaction. We then conducted a study with human-subject participants, where the participants took part in conversations with two virtual humans and then rated the virtual character social characteristics, and completed an evaluation of their implicit trust in the virtual human. Results showed more liking for and more trust in the virtual human whose nodding behaviour was driven by realistic behaviour rules. This supports the psychological models of nodding and advances our ability to build realistic virtual humans

Electrochemical Investigation of Doped Titanium Dioxide

Thin films of transition-metal doped (0.2, 1.0, and 5.0 atom%) TiO2 were prepared on titanium foil using a sol-gel route catalyzed by ammonium acetate. Dopants investigated were the fourth-period transition metals. The prepared films were characterised by Raman spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and photoelectrochemical methods. The films doped with transition metals showed a lower photocurrent response than undoped samples. No major red shift in the photocurrent response spectra of the doped films was observed. A photocurrent response was observed under visible light irradiation of the samples and was potential dependent peaking around −0.3 V (SCE), which is indicative of electron promotion from a filled defect level. Examination of the defect level potential dependence by analysis of the current-time response under chopped illumination at fixed potential (−0.8 V–+1.07 V) gave a good correlation with the potential dependence observed in the visible light irradiation studies

Nonverbal communication in virtual reality: Nodding as a social signal in virtual interactions

Nonverbal communication is an important part of human communication, including head nodding, eye gaze, proximity and body orientation. Recent research has identified specific patterns of head nodding linked to conversation, namely mimicry of head movements at 600 ms delay and fast nodding when listening. In this paper, we implemented these head nodding behaviour rules in virtual humans, and we tested the impact of these behaviours, and whether they lead to increases in trust and liking towards the virtual humans. We use Virtual Reality technology to simulate a face-to-face conversation, as VR provides a high level of immersiveness and social presence, very similar to face-to-face interaction. We then conducted a study with human-subject participants, where the participants took part in conversations with two virtual humans and then rated the virtual character social characteristics, and completed an evaluation of their implicit trust in the virtual human. Results showed more liking for and more trust in the virtual human whose nodding behaviour was driven by realistic behaviour rules. This supports the psychological models of nodding and advances our ability to build realistic virtual humans

Are You on My Wavelength? Interpersonal Coordination in Dyadic Conversations

Conversation between two people involves subtle nonverbal coordination in addition to speech. However, the precise parameters and timing of this coordination remain unclear, which limits our ability to theorize about the neural and cognitive mechanisms of social coordination. In particular, it is unclear if conversation is dominated by synchronization (with no time lag), rapid and reactive mimicry (with lags under 1 s) or traditionally observed mimicry (with several seconds lag), each of which demands a different neural mechanism. Here we describe data from high-resolution motion capture of the head movements of pairs of participants (n = 31 dyads) engaged in structured conversations. In a pre-registered analysis pathway, we calculated the wavelet coherence of head motion within dyads as a measure of their nonverbal coordination and report two novel results. First, low-frequency coherence (0.2–1.1 Hz) is consistent with traditional observations of mimicry, and modeling shows this behavior is generated by a mechanism with a constant 600 ms lag between leader and follower. This is in line with rapid reactive (rather than predictive or memory-driven) models of mimicry behavior, and could be implemented in mirror neuron systems. Second, we find an unexpected pattern of lower-than-chance coherence between participants, or hypo-coherence, at high frequencies (2.6–6.5 Hz). Exploratory analyses show that this systematic decoupling is driven by fast nodding from the listening member of the dyad, and may be a newly identified social signal. These results provide a step towards the quantification of real-world human behavior in high resolution and provide new insights into the mechanisms of social coordination