Personality dimensions, anger cognitions, anger expression and recidivism among homicide offenders
Keywords:
Anger, Homicide, Parole, Personality, RecidivismAbstract
Mitigating the multidimensional complexities inherent in recidivism to achieve systemic crime reduction constitutes a formidable challenge for contemporary societies. This study examined the relationships among personality dimensions, Dark Tetrad traits, antisocial personality, anger cognitions, anger expression, and recidivism among individuals convicted of homicide and subsequently released on parole. Utilizing a purposive sampling technique, data were collected from 150 paroled individuals aged 30 to 70 years using Recidivism Risk Scale for Individuals Convicted of Homicide, Big Five Personality Inventory, Short Dark Tetrad, Antisocial Personality Disorder Scale, Angry Cognitions Scale, and Trait Anger Expression Scale. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that recidivism was significantly predicted by extraversion, neuroticism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, antisocial personality, behavioral expression of anger-out, and cognitive tendencies toward demandingness and misattributing causation. Conversely, adaptive cognitive appraisal negatively predicted recidivism. While conscientiousness, openness, agreeableness, narcissism, sadism, catastrophic evaluation, inflammatory labeling, overgeneralizing, and anger-in demonstrated correlational links, they did not emerge as significant predictors of recidivism. The findings of this study offer critical insights for law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, policymakers, researchers, and forensic psychologists.
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