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Article
Publication date: 4 October 2018

Ashley Cartwright

Fraudulently claiming symptoms of mental disorder can be very lucrative for those in society who are willing to do so. One context that lends itself well to those willing to…

Abstract

Purpose

Fraudulently claiming symptoms of mental disorder can be very lucrative for those in society who are willing to do so. One context that lends itself well to those willing to fraudulently claim symptoms of mental disorder is the road traffic accident. Previous research has indicated that the assessment practices of those charged with investigating psychological damages in the UK are not suitable in terms of detecting malingering. The purpose of this paper is to provide a “practitioner ready review” that outlines the structured psychometric assessment tools that are recommended and validated by academic research for aiding with the detection of feigned mental disorder.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper takes a primarily conceptual approach utilising a narrative literature review which is aimed at the forensic practitioner who conducts assessments for psychological damages in contexts where malingering may be of concern.

Findings

The findings of the present paper will be of use not only to forensic practitioners, but also will be of interest to those who instruct assessments in similar contexts, those who conduct research within this area and those who interpret reports written by forensic practitioners such as the courts.

Originality/value

To the author’s knowledge the present paper is the first of its kind, which attempts to bridge the gap between academic literature and professional practice to assist forensic examiners incorporate suitable psychometric instruments within their practice. As a result, the paper makes a substantial contribution to the improvement of forensic reporting in the disciplines of psychology and psychiatry.

Details

Journal of Criminal Psychology, vol. 9 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2009-3829

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 September 2019

Darin J. Challacombe, Michelle Ackerman and Andjelka Stones

Law enforcement is a stressful career, especially to US-based officers. Officers are typically psychologically screened and declared fit for duty prior to completing training…

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Abstract

Purpose

Law enforcement is a stressful career, especially to US-based officers. Officers are typically psychologically screened and declared fit for duty prior to completing training. Current personality research has demonstrated the potential for traits to increase or decrease due to a variety of factors, including time and stress levels. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how officers’ personality traits may differ based upon their levels of stress and lengths of service. This quantitative non-experimental research design recruited potential participants from several online-based, law enforcement officer-centric channels. Participants then completed a five-factor model (FFM) personality measure, the Law Enforcement Officer Stress Scale, and an accompanying demographic questionnaire. The participants’ FFM personality trait levels (dependent variable) were measured and compared to other participants’ trait levels based upon the independent variables of lengths of service and stress levels. The authors found the current sample had a higher mean stress level than any previously reported law enforcement officer sample. The personality trait agreeableness was significantly correlated with extraversion, and extraversion was significantly correlated with openness to new experiences. The authors found significant differences in several FFM traits for both career-related stress and length of service. The findings support previous research, contribute to the job demand-control model, and suggest the continued stress of the job may psychologically impact an officer. It is recommended law enforcement administrators be more aware of this potential and consider findings strategies to mitigate these trait differences.

Design/methodology/approach

This quantitative non-experimental research design recruited potential participants from several online-based, law enforcement officer-centric channels. Participants then completed a five-factor personality measure, the Law Enforcement Officer Stress Scale, and an accompanying demographic questionnaire. The participants’ FFM personality trait levels (dependent variable) were measured and compared to other participants’ trait levels based upon the independent variables of lengths of service and stress levels.

Findings

The authors found the current sample had a higher mean stress level than any previously report law enforcement officer sample. The personality trait agreeableness was significantly correlated with extraversion, r(159)=0.36, p<0.000; and, extraversion was significantly correlated with openness to new experiences, r(159)=0.28, p<0.000. The authors found significant differences in several FFM traits for both career-related stress and length of service.

Research limitations/implications

These findings support previous research, contribute to the job demand-control model, and suggest the continued stress of the job may psychologically impact an officer.

Practical implications

It is recommended law enforcement administrators be more aware of this potential and consider findings strategies to mitigate these trait differences.

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine how personality may differ in law enforcement officers (LEOs) with both high stress and long careers. Logical follow-ups to this study would be longitudinal studies on LEOs.

Details

Policing: An International Journal, vol. 42 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 November 2013

Jonathan Lough and Kathryn Von Treuer

The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the instruments used in the screening process, with particular attention given to supporting research validation. Psychological…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the instruments used in the screening process, with particular attention given to supporting research validation. Psychological screening is a well-established process used in the selection of employees across public safety industries, particularly in police settings. Screening in and screening out are both possible, with screening out being the most commonly used method. Little attention, however, has been given to evaluating the comparative validities of the instruments used.

Design/methodology/approach

This review investigates literature supporting the use of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), the California Personality Inventory (CPI), the Inwald Personality Inventory (IPI), the Australian Institute of Forensic Psychology's test battery (AIFP), and some other less researched tests. Research supporting the validity of each test is discussed.

Findings

It was found that no test possesses unequivocal research support, although the CPI and AIFP tests show promise. Most formal research into the validity of the instruments lacks appropriate experimental structure and is therefore less powerful as “evidence” of the utility of the instrument(s).

Practical implications

This research raises the notion that many current screening practices are likely to be adding minimal value to the selection process by way of using instruments that are not “cut out” for the job. This has implications for policy and practice at the recruitment stage of police employment.

Originality/value

This research provides a critical overview of the instruments and their validity studies rather than examining the general process of psychological screening. As such, it is useful to those working in selection who are facing the choice of psychological instrument. Possibilities for future research are presented, and development opportunities for a best practice instrument are discussed.

Details

Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, vol. 36 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 September 2023

Scott A. Davis, Daniel Frayne, Jessica McSurdy, Annabel O. Franz and David Mark McCord

In the USA, integrated care remains largely aspirational; a majority of Americans receive mental health care entirely within the primary medical care outpatient setting. A new…

Abstract

Purpose

In the USA, integrated care remains largely aspirational; a majority of Americans receive mental health care entirely within the primary medical care outpatient setting. A new instrument, the Multidimensional Behavioral Health Screen (MBHS) ( McCord, 2020) was developed specifically to address this gap by systematically screening for a broad array of mental health issues in every patient, every visit. The goal of this current feasibility study was to evaluate the perceptions of the primary medical care providers regarding the usefulness and practicality of the MBHS, a necessary step toward broad-based implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

The MBHS was given to 101 consenting patients in a primary medical outpatient setting, each of whom was then seen by one of six participating primary care providers (PCPs). Providers completed a brief survey rating the ease of use, understandability, helpfulness and perceived accuracy of the MBHS after each patient visit and a final summary survey at the conclusion of the study.

Findings

Ratings were very positive overall, and the MBHS was clearly preferred to the traditional screening measures (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9] and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 [GAD-7]). Providers offered suggestions for improvement and particularly for implementation.

Research limitations/implications

The small sample size (101 patients and 6 PCPs) and limited geographical reach may limit generalizability. Surveying providers using similar methodology should be done with larger numbers of providers and more diverse primary medical care settings.

Practical implications

This study provides evidence that the MBHS may be significantly effective in operationalizing the integrated care model in United States (US) healthcare systems.

Social implications

The MBHS, a new behavioral health screening tool, was perceived by providers as useful in identifying mental health issues and guiding treatment decisions in the primary care setting.

Originality/value

This paper identifies a novel screening instrument that implements new and emerging models of psychological dysfunction in a practical way in primary medical care, making integrated care a reality rather than an aspiration.

Details

Journal of Integrated Care, vol. 31 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1476-9018

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 March 2017

Daniel S. Lawrence, Thomas E. Christoff and Justin H. Escamilla

Law enforcement agencies have historically used psychological examinations, in addition to other methods, to screen candidates out of the applicant pool. However, agencies could…

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Abstract

Purpose

Law enforcement agencies have historically used psychological examinations, in addition to other methods, to screen candidates out of the applicant pool. However, agencies could be better served by ensuring recruits are predisposed to the expected behaviors and qualities that are required as part of community-oriented and respectful policing. The purpose of this paper is to provide an initial look into what officer-level characteristics might lead to improved treatment in police-community interactions (PCIs). Characteristics under review include communication styles and personality dimensions.

Design/methodology/approach

Data come from the National Police Research Platform’s longitudinal recruit study and its PCI survey. Community members were surveyed about their interactions with officers involved in the study. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze these two-level data.

Findings

The findings suggest that certain officer-level characteristics were associated with higher perceptions of procedurally just behavior. Specifically, officers with higher levels of empathy and lower levels of neuroticism scored higher on both the officer’s quality of treatment (QT) and quality of decision making toward the community member. Additional to those dimensions, officers with increased emotional control received higher scores on their QT.

Originality/value

These findings have important implications for identifying and measuring new characteristics to be used in police hiring procedures. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first instance where personality dimensions and communications styles have been used to predict law enforcement officers’ procedural justice behaviors in the field.

Details

Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, vol. 40 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 January 2023

Alexander Serenko

This study investigates the role of personality disorders in the context of counterproductive knowledge behavior.

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates the role of personality disorders in the context of counterproductive knowledge behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through a survey administered to 120 full-time employees recruited from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Personality disorders were measured by means of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-IV.

Findings

Personality disorders play an important role in the context of counterproductive knowledge behavior: employees suffering from various personality disorders are likely to hide knowledge from their fellow coworkers and engage in knowledge sabotage. Of particular importance are dependent, narcissistic and sadistic personality disorders as well as schizophrenic and delusional severe clinical syndromes. There is a need for a paradigm shift in terms of how the research community should portray those who engage in counterproductive knowledge behavior, reconsidering the underlying assumption that all of them act deliberately, consciously and rationally. Unexpectedly, most personality disorders do not facilitate knowledge hoarding.

Practical implications

Organizations should provide insurance coverage for the treatment of personality disorders, assist those seeking treatment, inform employees about the existence of personality disorders in the workplace and their impact on interemployee relationships, facilitate a stress-free work environment, remove social stigma that may be associated with personality disorders and, as a last resort, reassign workers suffering from extreme forms of personality disorders to tasks that require less interemployee interaction (instead of terminating them).

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this work represents one of the first attempts to empirically investigate the notion of personality disorders in the context of knowledge management.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 27 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 June 2023

Andréanne Angehrn, Colette Jourdan-Ionescu and Dominick Gamache

Police officers face a unique and challenging occupational experience and report elevated mental disorder symptoms relative to the general population. While gender differences…

Abstract

Purpose

Police officers face a unique and challenging occupational experience and report elevated mental disorder symptoms relative to the general population. While gender differences appear to be present in police mental health, this study aims to find which factors foster and promote resilience in these workers and how gender may relate to police resilience.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study was designed to explore how protective factors, sexual harassment and personality dysfunction impacted resilience among police officers (n = 380; 44% women). Furthermore, gender differences were also examined on these factors as well as on resilience rate.

Findings

Men and women police officers did not differ significantly in terms of resilience, protective factors and overall experiences of sexual harassment behaviors; yet, policewomen subjectively reported having experienced more sexual harassment in the past 12 months than policemen. Men reported greater personality difficulties than women, according to the alternative Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) model for personality disorders. Personality dysfunction was the most robust predictor of poor resilience (ß = −0.465; p < 0.001).

Originality/value

Personality fragilities appear to have an important negative impact on the resilience of police officers, over and above protective factors and gendered experiences. Interventions targeting emotion regulation, self-appraisal and self-reflection could help promote resilience and foster well-being in this population.

Details

Policing: An International Journal, vol. 46 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 May 2022

Claire Marie Downs and Kelly Rayner-Smith

The assessment for and diagnosis of personality disorder (PD) continue to be contentious, with many prominent practitioner psychologists arguing against this specific label and…

Abstract

Purpose

The assessment for and diagnosis of personality disorder (PD) continue to be contentious, with many prominent practitioner psychologists arguing against this specific label and providing a credible alternative framework to psychiatric diagnosis more generally. This paper aims to summarise the literature and support practitioners identifying PD in people with intellectual disabilities (ID).

Design/methodology/approach

Relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance and literature were reviewed to provide a service position on the assessment and diagnosis of PD in people with ID.

Findings

For people with intellectual disabilities, the PD label can be even less robustly applied and may be even more pejorative and obstructive. That said, there are people for whom a PD diagnosis has clear clinical utility and opens access to suitable specialist services.

Practical implications

Evidence suggests that a diagnosis of PD can be both facilitative and obstructive, and the assessment and diagnosis process should, therefore, be undertaken with caution.

Originality/value

This paper presents an account of NICE guidance and evidence on the assessment and diagnosis of PD in people with intellectual disabilities.

Details

Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, vol. 16 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-1282

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2021

Stephanie Habersaat, Sid Hamed Abdellaoui and Jutta M. Wolf

The purpose of this study is (1) to confirm the relationship between the two dimensions of social desirability (pretending and denying), self-reported stress and health reports in…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is (1) to confirm the relationship between the two dimensions of social desirability (pretending and denying), self-reported stress and health reports in police officers and (2) to assess whether dysfunctions in basal cortisol profiles are related to social desirability.

Design/methodology/approach

Social desirability is known to influence how individuals respond to sensitive topics, such as questions concerning health in the workplace, and has usually been defined according to two dimensions: pretending and denying. However, it is not known whether social desirability is only a bias in responding to health surveys or a more general attitude of denying problems and pretending to be stronger than one is in the everyday life. If the latter is true, social desirability may have important health implications, and underlying mechanisms must be described. In total, 77 police officers completed questionnaires measuring social desirability (denying and pretending), perceived stress as well as mental and somatic health symptoms. They were further instructed to collect saliva samples for cortisol concentrations assays.

Findings

These preliminary results showed that denying was negatively related to the report of stress and health symptoms. Furthermore, police officers higher in pretending showed a flatter diurnal cortisol slope.

Research limitations/implications

The correlation between dysregulation of the hypothalmic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, as expressed by a flatter cortisol slope, and a higher score in the pretending subscale suggests that looking for social approval by inflating one's capacities is related to chronic work-related stress, making the individual more vulnerable to stress-related disease.

Originality/value

To study the potential health-relevant consequences and underlying mechanisms of social desirability bias related to police culture by including stress biomarkers.

Details

Policing: An International Journal, vol. 44 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

Keywords

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