Good character: the implications of personality development and psychopathology for citizenship
The introduction of new legislation in 2006 brought about changes to the way citizenship applications were considered in the UK. Over the intervening years, several hundred children born in the UK have been denied British citizenship as a result of changes to the ‘good character’ requirement in the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2025-04-01
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| Series: | BJPsych Bulletin |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056469424000603/type/journal_article |
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| _version_ | 1850156388906434560 |
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| author | Stephen Attard Solange Valdez-Symonds Steve Valdez-Symonds Andrew Iles Frances Maclennan |
| author_facet | Stephen Attard Solange Valdez-Symonds Steve Valdez-Symonds Andrew Iles Frances Maclennan |
| author_sort | Stephen Attard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The introduction of new legislation in 2006 brought about changes to the way citizenship applications were considered in the UK. Over the intervening years, several hundred children born in the UK have been denied British citizenship as a result of changes to the ‘good character’ requirement in the legislation – namely its extension to cover all those aged 10 years or older applying for citizenship, including individuals who were born in the UK. As a result of the formulaic way in which this requirement is assessed, citizenship can be denied on the basis of historical patterns of behaviour or offending from childhood. This article will consider whether the current approach to assessment of character in the context of applications for British citizenship is meaningful or appropriate, given developments in our understanding of normative psychological and neurological development and also the impact of psychosocial adversity, trauma, and broader psychopathological or neurodevelopmental conditions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-71de08c3e2f244c0adf186c2d5dcdee7 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2056-4694 2056-4708 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BJPsych Bulletin |
| spelling | doaj-art-71de08c3e2f244c0adf186c2d5dcdee72025-08-20T02:24:34ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Bulletin2056-46942056-47082025-04-014911812210.1192/bjb.2024.60Good character: the implications of personality development and psychopathology for citizenshipStephen Attard0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2385-3850Solange Valdez-Symonds1Steve Valdez-Symonds2Andrew Iles3Frances Maclennan4Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UKProject for the Registration of Children as British Citizens, London, UKAmnesty International UK, London, UKSurrey and Borders NHS Foundation Trust, Leatherhead, UKCentral and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UKThe introduction of new legislation in 2006 brought about changes to the way citizenship applications were considered in the UK. Over the intervening years, several hundred children born in the UK have been denied British citizenship as a result of changes to the ‘good character’ requirement in the legislation – namely its extension to cover all those aged 10 years or older applying for citizenship, including individuals who were born in the UK. As a result of the formulaic way in which this requirement is assessed, citizenship can be denied on the basis of historical patterns of behaviour or offending from childhood. This article will consider whether the current approach to assessment of character in the context of applications for British citizenship is meaningful or appropriate, given developments in our understanding of normative psychological and neurological development and also the impact of psychosocial adversity, trauma, and broader psychopathological or neurodevelopmental conditions.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056469424000603/type/journal_articleChildhood experienceconduct disordershuman rightspsychiatry and lawtrauma and stressor-related disorders |
| spellingShingle | Stephen Attard Solange Valdez-Symonds Steve Valdez-Symonds Andrew Iles Frances Maclennan Good character: the implications of personality development and psychopathology for citizenship BJPsych Bulletin Childhood experience conduct disorders human rights psychiatry and law trauma and stressor-related disorders |
| title | Good character: the implications of personality development and psychopathology for citizenship |
| title_full | Good character: the implications of personality development and psychopathology for citizenship |
| title_fullStr | Good character: the implications of personality development and psychopathology for citizenship |
| title_full_unstemmed | Good character: the implications of personality development and psychopathology for citizenship |
| title_short | Good character: the implications of personality development and psychopathology for citizenship |
| title_sort | good character the implications of personality development and psychopathology for citizenship |
| topic | Childhood experience conduct disorders human rights psychiatry and law trauma and stressor-related disorders |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056469424000603/type/journal_article |
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