Predicting risk of violence through a self-appraisal questionnaire

Abstract

a b s t r a c tThe Self-Appraisal Questionnaire (SAQ) is a self-report that predicts the risk of violence and recidivism and provides relevant information about treatment needs for incarcerated populations. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the concurrent and predictive validity of this self-report in Spanish offenders. The SAQ was administered to 276 offenders recruited from several prisons in Madrid (Spain). SAQ total scores presented high levels of internal consistency (alpha = .92). Correlations of the instrument with violence risk instruments were statistically significant and showed a moderate magnitude, indicating a reasonable degree of concurrent validity. The ROC analysis carried out on the SAQ total score revealed an AUC of .80, showing acceptable accuracy discriminating between violent and nonviolent recidivist groups. It is concluded that the SAQ total score is a reliable and valid measure to estimate violence and recidivism risk in Spanish offenders. Predicción del riesgo de violencia mediante un cuestionario de auto-evaluaciónPalabras clave: Cuestionario de autovaloración Riesgo de violencia Validez concurrente y predictiva r e s u m e n El cuestionario Self-Appraisal Questionnaire (SAQ) [cuestionario de autovaloración] es una medida de auto-informe que predice el riesgo de violencia y reincidencia, además de permitir evaluar las necesidades de tratamiento para poblaciones penitenciarias. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar su validez concurrente y predictiva en una muestra española de delincuentes. El cuestionario fue administrado a 276 delincuentes procedentes de varios centros penitenciarios de Madrid (España). El coeficiente alfa de Cronbach que se obtuvo para la puntuación total del SAQ fue elevado (alfa = .92). Las correlaciones obtenidas con otros instrumentos de riesgo de violencia fueron estadísticamente significativas y presentaron una magnitud moderada, indicando un razonable grado de validez concurrente del instrumento. El análisis de la curva ROC reveló un área bajo la curva de .80, mostrando una aceptable capacidad de precisión a la hora de discriminar entre grupos de reincidentes violentos y no violentos. Se concluye que la puntuación total del SAQ proporciona una medida suficientemente fiable y válida para estimar violencia y riesgo de reincidencia en población de delincuentes españoles.

Measuring Acceptability of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women: Development and Validation of the A-IPVAW Scale

“…Although this preliminary result should be taken with caution as the sample of batterers is small and somewhat limited, it highlights that the scale is indeed especially informative for those individuals with higher levels of acceptability of IPVAW, and thus at higher risk of committing IPVAW (Archer & Graham-Kevan, 2003;. In this regard, the A-IPVAW scale can be used as a forensic tool that can detect cases of higher risk of IPVAW perpetration, as it can differentiate accurately between participants with low and high acceptability estimates (Andreu-Rodríguez, Peña-Fernández, & Loza, 2016). It can also be used as an evaluation instrument for intervention programs with IPVAW perpetrators, monitoring attitudinal changes during and after the intervention (Carbajosa, Catalá-Miñana, Lila, & Gracia, 2017;Ferrer-Perez, Ferreiro-Basurto, Navarro-Guzmán, & Bosch-Fiol, 2016;Lila, Oliver, Galiana, & Gracia, 2013).…”

Socio-cognitive and personal characteristics of young offenders: a field study

“…Nevertheless, the presence of aggressive behaviours in adolescence may point towards criminal behaviour in adulthood, as well as social maladjustment and interpersonal relationship problems (Andreu-Rodríguez, Peña-Fernández, & Loza, 2016).Thus, adolescence is understood as a key period for the onset and maintenance of antisocial behaviour.…”

Risk factors related to intimate partner violence police recidivism in Spain

“…The initial risk estimate is assessed by the VPR form in order to classify cases and assign police protection measures. After this, police officers use the VPER form for risk monitoring and management, which incorporates risk and protection indicators that are sensitive to the new risk scenarios generated from the denunciation, and has certain similarities with the Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R) used in the USA ( Andrews & Bonta, 1995 ); with the risk assessment and management instruments used in Latin America ( Folino, 2015 ) and in Spain, with the RisCanvi multiscale risk assessment Protocol ( Andrés-Pueyo, Arbach-Lucioni, & Redondo, 2010 ) and the Self-Appraisal Questionnaire (SAQ) ( Andreu-Rodríguez, Peña-Fernández, & Loza, 2016 ), used in the penal field.…”