Improving Negative Emotion Recognition in Young Offenders

Published:
SummaryA research article describing a Welsh study that examined the effect of Emotion Recognition Training on criminal behaviour.
Age:10-18
Sex:n/a
Cost:yes

Summary:

A research article describing a Welsh study that examined the effect of Emotion Recognition Training on criminal behaviour.

Aims:

  • The aim of the training was to improve the perception of emotional expressions in young people who participated in the emotion recognition training.
  • The study established that emotion recognition training could have a positive effect in reducing the offending behaviour of young people who have committed anti-social acts and have aggressive behaviour.

Description:

Attached is a research article describing a study that examined the effect of emotion recognition training on criminal behaviour. Fifty young men aged 12-18 took part in the study. All were receiving statutory interventions from Cardiff or the Vale of Glamorgan Youth Offending Services during the study.

A group of young people participated the facial affect training (aimed at improving emotional recognition). The study found that prior to the training there was no differences in the groups in their recognition of certain emotions. However after the training, fear, sadness and anger recognition improved significantly in the young people. Crime rates dropped for all those taking part in the study in the six months following the training. However, only the group that received the emotion recognition training showed a significant reduction in the severity of the crimes committed.

Implementing the Practice:

  • In order to support young people with the training, practitioners will need to complete training in Facial Emotional Recognition programme
  • Practitioners will need to be experienced in the adapted version of the Facial Affect Recognition (FAR) computer programme, which can be achieved through the training
  • Pre and post training questionnaires need to be implemented in order to identify positive improvement

Contact:

Team:YJB Cymru
Source Organisation:School of Psychology – Cardiff University
Name:Professor Stephanie Van Goozen
Email:VangoozenS@cardiff.ac.uk