Showing papers by "Mark Shevlin published in 2013"
TL;DR: Prevention programs that target self-efficacy for eating and peer support for unhealthy eating may be beneficial in improving dietary choices among adolescents.
156 citations
TL;DR: These findings reflect female-specific variation in both victimisation history and psychosis-related vulnerability, and may advance the understanding of the complex associations that continue to emerge between trauma and psychosis for both males and females.
Abstract: Research has shown that sexual trauma represents a specific threat for psychosis, particularly among females. Sexual trauma among females, however, has also been shown to enhance the risk for further revictimisation. Females are likely to exhibit distinct lifetime trauma profiles, i.e. female sexual trauma victims are often more likely to experience particular forms of re-victimisation, such as intimate partner and domestic violence. This study used data from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (2007) to profile lifetime histories of sexual trauma and domestic violence among female participants (N = 4,111). The latent class analysis revealed four lifetime victimisation classes: (i) a multiple victimisation class; (ii) an intimate partner victimisation class; (iii) a sexual victimisation class; and (iv) a victimisation-free class. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that there was a strong association between class membership and a diagnosis of psychosis and that the victimisation classes were significantly associated with all psychotic-like experiences. Compared to the victimisation-free class, the multiple victimisation class displayed an increased likelihood of experiencing all psychotic experiences except mania. The intimate partner victimisation class was also associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing all psychotic experiences; however, the odds ratios for this class were lower than those recorded for the multiple victimisation class. These findings reflect female-specific variation in both victimisation history and psychosis-related vulnerability. Acknowledging such sex-specific variation may advance our understanding of the complex associations that continue to emerge between trauma and psychosis for both males and females.
41 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the structural equation model of criminal thinking style was presented and tested in a recidivistic prison sample, with findings demonstrating an indirect effect of antisocial friend associations on criminal thinking through ingroup affect and in-group ties with criminal ingroup members.
Abstract: Previous research suggests a direct relationship between criminal friends and criminal thinking style; however, social identity theory proposes that identity mediates the impact of social group members on development of thinking styles. This research project is the first attempt to empirically test the mediating role of criminal social identity in the development of criminal thinking styles within a recidivistic prison sample (N = 312). The structural equation model of criminal thinking style presented and tested in this study supports the central predictions of social identity theory, with findings demonstrating an indirect effect of antisocial friend associations on criminal thinking through in-group affect and in-group ties with criminal in-group members that reflect two of three dimensions of the measure of criminal social identity applied in the current study. Further implications in relation to theory and previous studies are discussed.
39 citations
TL;DR: Adolescent loneliness is significantly associated with psychiatric morbidity for Northern Irish adolescents and school-based screening and interventions to reduce loneliness may reduce the prevalence of loneliness.
Abstract: Objective
Previous research has identified an association between loneliness and psychiatric morbidity, but many of the studies have been based on small convenience samples and have not always used standardized measures.
Aims and Methods
This study aimed to assess the association between standardized measures of loneliness and psychiatric morbidity using data from a large sample of adolescents from Northern Ireland (Young Life and Times Survey, 2011). A total of 1,434 participants completed the survey.
Results
The prevalence of loneliness and psychiatric morbidity was 15.6% and 28.4% respectively. A multivariate binary logistic regression was used to identify the significant correlates of psychiatric morbidity. Demographic and loneliness variables were entered as covariates and female gender and perceptions of familial poverty were significantly associated with GHQ caseness. Loneliness increased the likelihood of GHQ caseness by more than five times.
Conclusions
Adolescent loneliness is significantly associated with psychiatric morbidity for Northern Irish adolescents. School-based screening and interventions to reduce loneliness may reduce the prevalence of loneliness.
Practitioner Points
Adolescent loneliness is a possible indirect indicator for mental health problems.
Standardized measures of loneliness, with population norms, are widely available.
There is no clear profile of a ‘lonely adolescent’ based on demographic variables.
34 citations
TL;DR: The current study suggests that the link between CSA and APSV was mediated by sexual behaviors specifically pertaining to situations of social peer interaction, rather than directly on prior experiences of sexual victimization.
Abstract: The present study modeled the direct relationship between child sexual abuse (CSA) and adolescent peer-to-peer sexual victimization (APSV) and the mediated effect via variables representing the number of sexual partners, sexual risk behavior, and signaling sexual boundaries. A cross-sectional study on the effect of CSA on APSV was conducted, utilizing a multiple mediator model. Mediated and direct effects in the model were estimated employing Mplus using bootstrapped percentile based confidence intervals to test for significance of mediated effects. The study employed 327 Danish female adolescents with a mean age of 14.9 years (SD = 0.5). The estimates from the mediational model indicated full mediation of the effect of CSA on APSV via number of sexual partners and sexual risk behavior. The current study suggests that the link between CSA and APSV was mediated by sexual behaviors specifically pertaining to situations of social peer interaction, rather than directly on prior experiences of sexual victimization. The present study identifies a modifiable target area for intervention to reduce adolescent sexual revictimization.
30 citations
TL;DR: The current findings offer further justification for the inclusion of childhood sexual trauma in analyses investigating associations between cannabis use and psychosis, using data from the National Comorbidity Survey-Replication.
Abstract: Purpose
Recurring evidence seems to suggest that sexual trauma in childhood may moderate associations between cannabis consumption and psychosis It has also been suggested, however, that poor childhood mental health may explain linkages between these phenomena
29 citations
TL;DR: The authors investigated the impact of personality traits (Eysenck's model) on criminal thinking style using propensity score matching methodology and found that personality traits predict the ways of thinking that are characteristic of persistent criminals and individual differences in these psychological traits can have profound effects on an individual who operates within an environment dominated by criminal others.
Abstract: Previous studies within criminal population have indicated a significant relationship between personality traits and criminal thinking style. However, none of the empirical research has adequately addressed selection bias in cross sectional data investigating criminal thinking style. The current study investigates the impact of personality traits (Eysenck's model) on criminal thinking style using propensity score matching methodology. The research is based on 133 violent and 179 nonviolent male recidivistic prisoners incarcerated in high-security prison. A post-matching multiple regression model explained 49% of variance in the criminal thinking style indicating five significant predictors: psychoticism, extraversion, neuroticism, associations with criminal friends, and criminal identity. Our results suggest for the first time that personality traits predict the ways of thinking that are characteristic of persistent criminals and that individual differences in these psychological traits can have profound effects on an individual who operates within an environment dominated by criminal others. Further implications in relation to theory and previous studies are discussed.
24 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on the factors that can significantly contribute to the presence of criminal social identity within a sample of recidivistic prisoners using structural equation modelling and identify six latent variables, including criminal associations with close friends, positive self-esteem, negative selfesteem, cognitive centrality, ingroup affect, and in-group ties.
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to focus on the factors that can significantly contribute to the presence of criminal social identity within a sample of recidivistic prisoners (N = 312) using structural equation modelling. Six latent variables were identified: criminal associations with close friends, positive self-esteem, negative self-esteem, cognitive centrality, in-group affect, and in-group ties. Results suggest that criminal social identity is characterized by various internal and external factors including the direct effects of associations with criminal friends, which is influenced by insufficient or absent parental supervision at an early stage of development. It was also found that early peer rejection is not a sufficient predictor of associations with criminal friends and the criminal social identity. This study also provides further support for Social Identity Theory with regards to the role of self-esteem in the development of criminal social identification.
20 citations
TL;DR: Structured diabetes education (SDE) facilitated a more flexible diet, to which adolescents could adhere, with no detriment to glycaemic control at 12 m, but not at 24 m post intervention.
Abstract: Aim: To evaluate the impact of the CHOICE structured diabetes education programme for adolescents with Type 1 diabetes on glycossylated haemoglobin, body mass index, episodes of hyper and hypoglycaemia and dietary adherence.
Methods: Multi-centred pragmatic randomised controlled trial (ISRCTN 13331558) across seven hospital sites in Northern Ireland, with 24 month follow-up. 135 adolescents between 13 – 19 years with Type 1 diabetes were randomly assigned to structured diabetes education (n = 70) or control (n = 65). The intervention was designed to enable adolescents to adjust diet and insulin regimens, liberating their lifestyle to more closely match that of their peers without diabetes. It consisted of 12 hours education over 4 weeks, in 3 hourly interactive, group based sessions. Clinical outcome measures included glycossylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), body mass index, number of episodes of reported hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia and dietary adherence. Data were analysed on an intention to treat basis and was undertaken by a series of tests assessing both within and between group differences in means, variances and covariances.
Results: No significant difference between groups in HbA1c was noted despite the dietary liberation of the intervention group at 12 months however, there was a significant difference at 24 months (HbA1c IG intervention % (mmol/mol) 9.53(81) v 8.99(75) control. There was no difference in BMI or in reported hyper or hypoglycaemic episodes.
Conclusion: Structured diabetes education (SDE) facilitated a more flexible diet, to which adolescents could adhere, with no detriment to glycaemic control at 12 m, but not at 24 m post intervention.
19 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the role of personality traits and criminal social identity in predicting violent offending within a sample of recidivistic inmates from high security prison and found that higher frequency of imprisonments, higher levels of extraversion, higher level of cognitive centrality and lower levels of in-group affect all predict a greater probability of committing a violent criminal act.
Abstract: The aim of current research was to investigate the role of prisonization, personality traits, and criminal social identity in predicting violent offending within a sample of recidivistic inmates from high security prison. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that a higher frequency of imprisonments, higher levels of extraversion, higher levels of cognitive centrality and lower levels of in-group affect all predict a greater probability of committing a violent criminal act. These results provide a substantial contribution to the criminal psychology literature by further elucidating the intricate role of extraversion in the understanding of criminal behaviour, empirically demonstrating the importance of criminal social identity in the prediction of violent criminal behaviour, and providing additional support for the possible role of prisonization effects in the emergence of violent criminal behaviour.
16 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, an impact evaluation of the effectiveness of a school counselling intervention in promoting positive change in the peer relationships of pupils who have been bullied is presented. But, the impact of the intervention was limited to a small subset of the pupils who were referred to the intervention.
Abstract: Bullying remains a significant issue in the lives of many children and young people at school and can have serious negative implications for emotional health and well-being in the short and longer term. This paper reports on an impact evaluation of the effectiveness of a school counselling intervention in promoting positive change in the peer relationships of pupils who have been bullied. Longitudinal data were collected from 202 pupils (mean age = 12.5, standard deviation = 2.3) using the self-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). In total, 27.2% of referrals (55 pupils) to the intervention related to being bullied. Latent growth curve modelling confirmed that pupils who had been bullied scored significantly higher initial status scores (1.40, p <0.01) on the Peer problems subscale of the SDQ and experienced a significantly more rapid rate of decrease on this subscale (−0.25, p <0.01) with each successive session of school counselling compared with those pupils who had accessed the interv...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors assessed the role of trauma-specific irrational beliefs in the prediction of clinically relevant posttraumatic stress responses, while controlling for a range of important sociodemographic factors.
Abstract: Posttraumatic stress responses have been linked to a range of social-cognitive and sociodemographic factors. Rational emotive behaviour therapy suggests that responding to a traumatic life event with a set of irrational beliefs should play a crucial role in predicting the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD: Ellis in Overcoming destructive beliefs, feelings, and behaviours: new directions for rational emotive behaviour therapy, Prometheus Books, Amherst, 2001). The current study assessed the role of trauma-specific irrational beliefs in the prediction of clinically relevant posttraumatic stress responses, while controlling for a range of important sociodemographic factors. A sample of 313 trauma-exposed military and law enforcement personnel took part in the current study and were divided into two groups according to the intensity of reported PTSD symptomology. Results of the binary logistic regression indicated that trauma-specific Catastrophizing, Low Frustration Tolerance, and Depreciation beliefs, respectively, significantly predicted belonging to the group reporting strong symptoms of PTSD compared to those reporting mild symptoms of PTSD. These results provide important evidence of the role of irrational beliefs in posttraumatic stress responses and highlight the importance of considering context-specific variants of each irrational belief process.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated if avoidant personality traits (characterised by social withdrawal) mediated the relationship between sexual abuse and psychosis symptom experience using data from the British Psychiatric Morbidity Survey.
Abstract: The social deafferentation hypothesis posits that social withdrawal in vulnerable individuals may result in anomalous perceptual and cognitive experiences that are consistent with psychotic hallucinations and delusions. Both psychosis vulnerability and social withdrawal are characteristic of many individuals who have experienced sexual abuse and a growing literature continues to document associations between experiences of sexual abuse and psychosis. The current study investigated if avoidant personality traits (characterised by social withdrawal) mediated the relationship between sexual abuse and psychosis symptom experience. Using data from the British Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (N = 8580), a mediation model was specified and estimated. The estimates showed that the regression coefficients of avoidant personality traits on sexual abuse (B =.70), psychosis scores on avoidant personality traits (B = .09), and psychosis scores on sexual abuse (B =.45) were statistically significant. The mediated effect o...
TL;DR: In this article, the dimensionality of the Profile of Emotional Distress (PED) was examined within an alternative models' framework using confirmatory factor analysis and bifactor modelling techniques.
Abstract: This study provides the first assessment of the latent structure of the Profile of Emotional Distress (PED). The PED is a self-report measure of emotional distress (ED) associated strongly with its links to Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT). To date, the PED has been weakly conceptualized using both unitary and binary models of ED. In this study, the dimensionality of the PED was examined within an alternative models’ framework using confirmatory factor analysis and bifactor modelling techniques. A total of 313 law enforcement, military, and related emergency service personnel completed the PED. Results indicated that a bifactor model conceptualization was the best fit of the data. The bifactor model included a single general factor (ED) and four grouping factors (Concern, Anxiety, Sadness, Depression). Model parameter estimates indicated that the ED factor accounts for the majority of covariance among the observable indicators. Low factor loadings were observed on each of the grouping factors, thus subscale construction is not recommended. Composite reliability results demonstrated that the ED factor possesses excellent internal reliability. The PED was found to be a reliable and valid measure of emotional distress.
TL;DR: In this article, the fit statistics supported a three-factor model with correlated cognitive-perceptual, interpersonal, and disorganised dimensions of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), and a number of statistical associations were identified between demographic and behavioural variables and each of the dimensions.
Abstract: Schizotypy is a multi-dimensional personality construct that is considered to be a cognitive marker for liability to psychotic disorder. The 22-item brief form of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire is one of the most widely used psychometric measures of schizotypal traits and it has been evidenced to aid in the evaluation of psychosis-proneness. Understanding the underlying latent structure of this measure is therefore both theoretically and clinically important. Using confirmatory factor analysis, data from two UK universities (613 undergraduates) were used to estimate the fit of eight competing factor models of schizotypal personality. The fit statistics supported a three-factor model with correlated “Cognitive-Perceptual,” “Interpersonal” and “Disorganised” dimensions. A number of statistical associations were identified between demographic and behavioural variables and each of the schizotypy dimensions. Gender and cannabis use were predictive of variation in the “Disorganised” dimension, while ...
TL;DR: The Perceived Inequality in Childhood Scale (PICS) as mentioned in this paper is a measure of perceived relative deprivation in childhood, which measures the perceived inequality in childhood and family social capital.
TL;DR: There was no significant attenuation in any of the PTSD items and this finding is pertinent given several proposals for the removal of dysphoric items from the diagnostic criteria set of PTSD in the upcoming DSM-5.
Abstract: The factor structure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) currently used by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), has received limited support. A four-factor dysphoria model is widely supported. However, the dysphoria factor of this model has been hailed as a nonspecific factor of PTSD. The present study investigated the specificity of the dysphoria factor within the dysphoria model by conducting a confirmatory factor analysis while statistically controlling for the variance attributable to depression. The sample consisted of 429 individuals who met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD in the National Comorbidity Survey. The results concluded that there was no significant attenuation in any of the PTSD items. This finding is pertinent given several proposals for the removal of dysphoric items from the diagnostic criteria set of PTSD in the upcoming DSM-5.
TL;DR: The effect of sexual victimization increased the likelihood of a subsequent diagnosis of an anxiety disorder but not a mood disorder, and therefore victims require post-assault information and support.
Abstract: AimsThis study aimed to examine the relationship between rape and the subsequent psychiatric diagnosis of any anxiety or mood disorder.MethodData from the Danish Civil Registration System and the Danish Psychiatric Central Register were used to identify a sample of female victims who had visited a centre for rape victims during an index year and their subsequent psychiatric records were compared with a matched control group.ResultsWhile controlling for demographic variables and previous psychiatric disorders, the effect of sexual victimization increased the likelihood of a subsequent diagnosis of an anxiety disorder but not a mood disorder.ConclusionSexual victimization significantly increases the likelihood of experiencing an anxiety disorder, and therefore victims require post-assault information and support.