Nunes, K. L., Hermann, C. A., Maimone, S., Atlas, M., & Grant, - PDF document

Nunes, K. L., Hermann, C. A., Maimone, S., Atlas, M., & Grant, B. A. (2018, March). The Violence Propensity Vignette Questionnaire (VPVQ): A measure of violent behavior for research in forensic and non ‐ forensic settings and populations. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Psychology ‐ Law Society, Memphis, Tennessee. Violence Propensity Vignette Questionnaire (VPVQ) The Violence Propensity Vignette • 10 vignettes Questionnaire (VPVQ): A Measure of • Say what you really would do if you were actually in that Violent Behavior for Research in Lab and situation right now Forensic Settings and Populations – Initial scenario – First response – Reaction from antagonist Kevin L. Nunes, Chantal A. Hermann, – Second response Sacha Maimone, Maya Atlas, and Brian A. Grant Nunes, K. L., Hermann, C. A., Maimone, S., Atlas, M., & Grant, B. A. (2018). The Violence Propensity Vignette Questionnaire (VPVQ): A measure of violent behavior for research in Carleton University forensic and non-forensic settings and populations. Manuscript submitted for publication. 2 Response Options: “What do you do?” Illustration of Procedure with Vignette 9 • Report it to someone – report what he’s doing (or what he did) to someone like the • You’re at a bar standing beside your girlfriend/wife when a guy strolls manager, police, or security, and ask them to deal with the problem up to her, puts his arm around her, and starts trying to pick her up. He • Talk it out – without insulting him, say something to let him know you’re not okay with acts like you aren’t even there. what he’s doing (or what he did) and to try to work things out peacefully • What do you do? • Insult him – say something insulting to him, like swearing at him or calling him a name • Report it to someone • Hit, punch, kick, or • Joke about it – joke about it to yourself or other people around you tackle him • Shove him • Talk it out • Hit, punch, kick, or tackle him • Threaten to hurt him • Insult him • Threaten to hurt him • Ignore it • Joke about it • Ignore it – don’t do or say anything about it • Leave • Shove him • Leave – go somewhere else to get away from the person or situation 3 4 • You say to him, “Buddy, what are you doing? You know she’s with me. Go talk to someone else.” Validation • He ignores you, steps between you and your girlfriend/wife, turns his back to you, tells her that you’re a loser, and asks her to dance. • If the VPVQ really does measure current propensity • What do you do? for violent behavior, then responses should be • Report it to someone • Hit, punch, kick, or associated with independent indicators of violent tackle him Violent • Talk it out behavior Non-violent • Threaten to hurt him • Insult him – Past violent behavior – Physical aggressiveness • Ignore it • Joke about it Non-violent – Risk of violent re-offending • Leave Violent • Shove him 5 6 1

Nunes, K. L., Hermann, C. A., Maimone, S., Atlas, M., & Grant, B. A. (2018, March). The Violence Propensity Vignette Questionnaire (VPVQ): A measure of violent behavior for research in forensic and non ‐ forensic settings and populations. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Psychology ‐ Law Society, Memphis, Tennessee. Samples Violent Behaviour Scale • 471 adult male community participants in US and • From when you were 16 years old to today, how Canada via online survey many times have you –Median age was 35 years old (range 18-81 years old) •Started a physical fight with someone? • 52 adult male offenders in medium- and maximum- •Threatened to physically hurt someone? •etc. security prisons in Canada –Mean age was 31.04 years old ( SD = 8.59) –Most had at least one violent offence on record 7 8 Past violent behavior (community participants N = 462 to 471) Past violent behavior (offenders N = 52) Violent response Violent response Effect sizes (Cohen’s d ) Non-violent response Effect sizes (Cohen’s d ) Non-violent response 7 4 1.13 Violent Behaviour Scale 6 0.81 0.81 0.96 0.77 0.91 Violent Behaviour Scale 0.98 0.79 0.72 0.55 0.80 3 0.95 0.86 5 0.93 0.61 0.81 0.21 0.58 0.61 0.62 0.60 0.80 4 2 3 2 1 1 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Any 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Any Vignette Vignette 9 10 Aggressiveness (community participants N = 462 to 471) Physical Aggression scale of the Aggression Violent response Effect sizes (Cohen’s d ) Questionnaire Non-violent response (Aggression Questionnaire) 4 Physical Aggression • Once in a while I can’t control the urge to strike 0.86 0.90 0.87 0.94 0.92 0.76 0.86 0.73 0.91 0.87 1.15 3 another person 2 • Given enough provocation, I may hit another person • etc. 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Any Vignette 11 12 2

Nunes, K. L., Hermann, C. A., Maimone, S., Atlas, M., & Grant, B. A. (2018, March). The Violence Propensity Vignette Questionnaire (VPVQ): A measure of violent behavior for research in forensic and non ‐ forensic settings and populations. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Psychology ‐ Law Society, Memphis, Tennessee. Aggressiveness (offenders N = 52) Violent response Number of violent convictions (Offenders only) Non-violent response Effect sizes (Cohen’s d ) 5 (Aggression Questionnaire) 1.60 1.30 • Number of violent offence convictions (e.g., uttering Physical Aggression 1.59 4 0.91 1.41 1.31 0.99 1.22 0.83 0.56 1.75 threats, assault, robbery, murder) 3 • Coded from criminal records 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Any Vignette 13 14 Number of violent convictions (offenders N = 45) (Study 4) Violent response Effect sizes (Cohen’s d ) Statistical Information on Recidivism (SIR) Scale Non-violent response (Offenders only) 7 0.27 0.29 0.20 6 0.13 0.11 Violent convictions • Actuarial risk assessment instrument for general re- 5 offending, but also predicts violent re-offending -0.03 -0.27 4 -0.12 -0.11 -0.35 -0.37 3 • Higher scores indicate lower risk 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Any Vignette 15 16 Estimated risk of re-offending (SIR) (offenders N = 47) Self-Appraisal Questionnaire (SAQ) (Offenders only) Violent response Non-violent response Effect sizes (Cohen’s d ) • Self-report risk assessment instrument for general and 7 6 violent re-offending 5 0.19 4 SIR Score 3 0.06 2 1 0 -0.12 -0.23 -0.21 -0.36 -0.37 -0.85 -1 -0.35 -0.44 -0.36 -2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Any Vignette 17 18 3

Nunes, K. L., Hermann, C. A., Maimone, S., Atlas, M., & Grant, B. A. (2018, March). The Violence Propensity Vignette Questionnaire (VPVQ): A measure of violent behavior for research in forensic and non ‐ forensic settings and populations. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Psychology ‐ Law Society, Memphis, Tennessee. Estimated risk of re-offending (SAQ) (offenders N = 50) Violent response VPVQ was associated… Effect sizes (Cohen’s d ) Non-violent response Self-Appraisal Questionnaire 50 1.54 45 0.92 1.32 • strongly with more self-reported violence and 0.83 1.14 0.91 0.84 0.55 40 0.59 1.32 0.36 more physical aggressiveness 35 30 • with higher risk of violent recidivism 25 20 – Strongly for the SAQ 15 10 – Slightly for the SIR 5 • weakly and inconsistently with number of 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Any violent convictions Vignette 19 20 Limitations and Next Steps Conclusion • Findings suggest that the VPVQ is a useful measure • Unsupportive findings with number of violent of violent behavior convictions • VPVQ may facilitate greater symmetry and –Method bias? consilience between the forensic and non-forensic –Or just poor criterion for current propensity for violence? literatures • Replicate and extend to indicators of violent behaviour beyond self-report (e.g., VRAG-R, violent • VPVQ may facilitate research on the causes and re-offending, peer-reports) reduction of violence 21 22 Acknowledgements Stephanie Biro, Carolyn Blank, Nick Chadwick, Colette Cousineau, Erin DeJong, Jenn Denny, kevin.nunes@carleton.ca Lana Di Fazio, Justin Gileno, Becky Grace, Janet Graham, Lindsay Grenon, Devon Gunn, Aggressive Cognitions and Behaviour Sara Johnson, Alicia LaPierre, Peter Marquis, Research Laboratory Erin McCormick, Andrea Moser, Chloe Pedneault, Ali Phillips, Penny Scott, Terri Scott, Tori Semple, Geris Serran, Emily Start, John www.carleton.ca/acbrlab Weekes, Mandie Woods, and many more 23 24 4