![Sample our Behavioral Sciences journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/110801/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Behavioral-Sciences.jpg"})
Abstract
Objective
Alexithymia, which involves difficulties identifying, communicating, and thinking about emotions, could be an important factor in violent offending. Our aim with the current study was to explore the levels of alexithymia among perpetrators of different types of violence (i.e., general and intimate partner) in Australia to better understand their treatment needs.
Method
Seventy‐nine male general violent offenders incarcerated in Western Australian prisons, 31 male intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators from IPV intervention programs, and 80 men from the general community completed the 20‐item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS‐20).
Results
General violent offenders and IPV perpetrators both scored significantly higher than men from the general community on total alexithymia score and the subscales that measure difficulty identifying and describing feelings; the violent groups did not differ from the general community on externally oriented thinking style. There was no significant difference between the general violent offenders and IPV perpetrators on the total alexithymia score or any of the three subscales of the TAS‐20.
Conclusions
The results of this study suggest that perpetrators of violence in Australia have higher levels of alexithymia than non‐offending men, and that alexithymia should be assessed in the treatment of violent offenders. Our findings also suggest both types of violent offenders have similar alexithymia profiles and that both have difficulties identifying and describing their emotions.
[Correction added on 30 June 2016, after first online publication: An incorrect version of the above paper was previously published due to a typesetter error. The Publisher apologises to the author and readers for this error. The incorrect version has now been replaced with this corrected version.
In the previously published version reverse‐scored data was not entered correctly. A brief summary of how the changes have affected findings in the corrected version is provided below:
Results in respect of the externally oriented thinking subscale for the general violent offender sample have changed, such that general violent offenders now have the same levels of externally oriented thinking as the intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators and the general community men ‐ i.e., all three groups now have the same levels of externally oriented thinking. This also means that the general violent offenders and the IPV perpetrators now both have the same levels of alexithymia and same alexithymic profile, whereas there were some differences between them in the previous version of the paper.]
[Correction added on 30 June 2016, after first online publication: An incorrect version of the above paper was previously published due to a typesetter error. The Publisher apologises to the author and readers for this error. The incorrect version has now been replaced with this corrected version.
In the previously published version reverse‐scored data was not entered correctly. A brief summary of how the changes have affected findings in the corrected version is provided below:
Results in respect of the externally oriented thinking subscale for the general violent offender sample have changed, such that general violent offenders now have the same levels of externally oriented thinking as the intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators and the general community men ‐ i.e., all three groups now have the same levels of externally oriented thinking. This also means that the general violent offenders and the IPV perpetrators now both have the same levels of alexithymia and same alexithymic profile, whereas there were some differences between them in the previous version of the paper.]
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Dr Greg Dear and David Preece for their valuable comments on an earlier draft of this article, and Elizabeth Bell for her assistance with data collection.
Notes
[Correction added on 30 June 2016, after first online publication: An incorrect version of the above paper was previously published due to a typesetter error. The Publisher apologises to the author and readers for this error. The incorrect version has now been replaced with this corrected version.
In the previously published version reverse‐scored data was not entered correctly. A brief summary of how the changes have affected findings in the corrected version is provided below:
Results in respect of the externally oriented thinking subscale for the general violent offender sample have changed, such that general violent offenders now have the same levels of externally oriented thinking as the intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators and the general community men ‐ i.e., all three groups now have the same levels of externally oriented thinking. This also means that the general violent offenders and the IPV perpetrators now both have the same levels of alexithymia and same alexithymic profile, whereas there were some differences between them in the previous version of the paper.]