Executive functioning among first time and recidivist inmates in Uruguay

Abstract

Previous research has found association between antisocial behavior and deficits in executive functioning. However, research into a link between them accounting for criminal history has found divergent results in western countries. The present study sought to determine the severity of executive functioning deficits in offenders compared to a normative sample, and the differences between first time offenders as compared to recidivists in Uruguay using a cross-sectional design. The neuropsychological performance of 334 male adult inmates was assessed using the BRIEF- A and a normative sample of 377. Results indicated that offenders performed significantly worse than non-offenders in the global score and the subscales of the BRIEF-A. Moreover, first time offenders exhibited less performance deficits in cognitive functioning than recidivist offenders. Compared to first time offenders, recidivist showed executive dysfunction concerning behavioral regulation index and globally. These results enhance our knowledge about executive dysfunction associated with criminality and may help to tailor the offenders’ programs to offenders with executive deficits.

Keywords:

• Executive functions
• recidivism
• offenders
• prison
• Latin America

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the director on that time of the Uruguayan Prison System, Ana Juanche, for her trust and support. Additionally, we would also like to thank all the inmates who participated in the study, and Victoria Gambetta and Gustavo Medina for their help collecting data. Lastly, we are grateful to the two anonymous reviewers for improving significantly previous versions of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Notes

1 Antisocial behavior is a broad term that includes a variety of behaviors and attitudes (e.g., violence, aggression, cruelty, theft, lying, manipulation, intimidation, etc.) that violates societal values, norms and laws (Tuvblad, 2015, p. 77). In this study, both first time offenders and recidivist offenders are considered antisocial.

Additional information

Funding

The first author had a postdoctoral scholarship from the National Agency for Research and Innovation (ANNI) (Uruguay). The project was funded by the Sectorial Commission of Scientific Research [FINCSOC_CSIC_38]. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, interpolation of these data, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.