COMPASSION-FOCUSED THERAPY WITH VIRTUAL REALITY FOR CALLOUSUNEMOTIONAL YOUTH: A CLINICAL CASE STUDY ON THE THERAPY PROCESS OF A YOUNG OFFENDER

ABSTRACT The antisocial and aggressive behaviour in childhood and adolescence combined with psychopathic traits has been connected to a more severe and chronic trajectory of antisocial behaviour including criminality. Latest research has shown that compassion-focused therapy (CFT) adapted to youn...

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Main Author: MIRVA HEIKKILÄ, JENNI KAUNOMÄKI, NINA LINDBERG, JARI LAHTI, MAURI MARTTUNEN, KLAUS RANTA, MARKO MANNINEN, DIANA RIBEIRO DA SILVA
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Language:English
Published: The Finnish Foundation for Psychiatric Research 2024-11-01
Series:Psychiatria Fennica
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Online Access:https://www.psykiatriantutkimussaatio.fi/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Psychiatria_Fennica%E2%94%ACa2024_Heikkila%E2%95%A0e_et_al.pdf
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author MIRVA HEIKKILÄ, JENNI KAUNOMÄKI, NINA LINDBERG, JARI LAHTI, MAURI MARTTUNEN, KLAUS RANTA, MARKO MANNINEN, DIANA RIBEIRO DA SILVA
author_facet MIRVA HEIKKILÄ, JENNI KAUNOMÄKI, NINA LINDBERG, JARI LAHTI, MAURI MARTTUNEN, KLAUS RANTA, MARKO MANNINEN, DIANA RIBEIRO DA SILVA
author_sort MIRVA HEIKKILÄ, JENNI KAUNOMÄKI, NINA LINDBERG, JARI LAHTI, MAURI MARTTUNEN, KLAUS RANTA, MARKO MANNINEN, DIANA RIBEIRO DA SILVA
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT The antisocial and aggressive behaviour in childhood and adolescence combined with psychopathic traits has been connected to a more severe and chronic trajectory of antisocial behaviour including criminality. Latest research has shown that compassion-focused therapy (CFT) adapted to young offenders with psychopathic traits is an effective treatment. Also, virtual reality (VR) is a new promising treatment tool in forensic settings. In our CFT+VR study project, we combined CFT with VR in treating adolescents with severe antisocial behaviour and psychopathy. The aim of this case study was to deepen our understanding of the therapy process of one adolescent in the CFT+VR intervention and to test its efficacy on his psychopathic traits. The participant was a 19-year-old boy with a background of antisocial behaviour, detained in a closed prison in Finland. He filled out the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory Short Version at three measurement points: pre-treatment (T0), after the 10th CFT meeting (T1), after the last meeting (T2). Estimated with the Reliable Change Index (RCI), our results indicate that during the intervention his callous and unemotional traits decreased (RCI<-1.96) between T0 and T1 (RCI=-3.53), and between T0 and T2 (RCI=-2.83), as did his total psychopathic traits between T0 and T1 (RCI=-2.42), and T0 and T2 (RCI=-3.03). Based on the therapy progression and the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis interview, the CFT+VR intervention increased the participant´s awareness of emotions and their connection to his feelings and automatic aggressive reactions which the VR exposure enhanced further. Even though some criticism also arose, the results of this case study suggest that the CFT+VR may be a new promising tool in treating adolescents with antisocial behaviour and psychopathic traits.
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spelling doaj-art-9a5257ca9dd84cf68ee30da155fede8e2025-01-22T09:09:38ZengThe Finnish Foundation for Psychiatric ResearchPsychiatria Fennica2489-61522024-11-0155102123COMPASSION-FOCUSED THERAPY WITH VIRTUAL REALITY FOR CALLOUSUNEMOTIONAL YOUTH: A CLINICAL CASE STUDY ON THE THERAPY PROCESS OF A YOUNG OFFENDERMIRVA HEIKKILÄ, JENNI KAUNOMÄKI, NINA LINDBERG, JARI LAHTI, MAURI MARTTUNEN, KLAUS RANTA, MARKO MANNINEN, DIANA RIBEIRO DA SILVAABSTRACT The antisocial and aggressive behaviour in childhood and adolescence combined with psychopathic traits has been connected to a more severe and chronic trajectory of antisocial behaviour including criminality. Latest research has shown that compassion-focused therapy (CFT) adapted to young offenders with psychopathic traits is an effective treatment. Also, virtual reality (VR) is a new promising treatment tool in forensic settings. In our CFT+VR study project, we combined CFT with VR in treating adolescents with severe antisocial behaviour and psychopathy. The aim of this case study was to deepen our understanding of the therapy process of one adolescent in the CFT+VR intervention and to test its efficacy on his psychopathic traits. The participant was a 19-year-old boy with a background of antisocial behaviour, detained in a closed prison in Finland. He filled out the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory Short Version at three measurement points: pre-treatment (T0), after the 10th CFT meeting (T1), after the last meeting (T2). Estimated with the Reliable Change Index (RCI), our results indicate that during the intervention his callous and unemotional traits decreased (RCI<-1.96) between T0 and T1 (RCI=-3.53), and between T0 and T2 (RCI=-2.83), as did his total psychopathic traits between T0 and T1 (RCI=-2.42), and T0 and T2 (RCI=-3.03). Based on the therapy progression and the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis interview, the CFT+VR intervention increased the participant´s awareness of emotions and their connection to his feelings and automatic aggressive reactions which the VR exposure enhanced further. Even though some criticism also arose, the results of this case study suggest that the CFT+VR may be a new promising tool in treating adolescents with antisocial behaviour and psychopathic traits.https://www.psykiatriantutkimussaatio.fi/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Psychiatria_Fennica%E2%94%ACa2024_Heikkila%E2%95%A0e_et_al.pdfpsychopathic traitsantisocial behaviourjuvenile delinquencymoral reasoningcompassion-focused therapy (cft)virtual reality (vr)clinical case study
spellingShingle MIRVA HEIKKILÄ, JENNI KAUNOMÄKI, NINA LINDBERG, JARI LAHTI, MAURI MARTTUNEN, KLAUS RANTA, MARKO MANNINEN, DIANA RIBEIRO DA SILVA
COMPASSION-FOCUSED THERAPY WITH VIRTUAL REALITY FOR CALLOUSUNEMOTIONAL YOUTH: A CLINICAL CASE STUDY ON THE THERAPY PROCESS OF A YOUNG OFFENDER
Psychiatria Fennica
psychopathic traits
antisocial behaviour
juvenile delinquency
moral reasoning
compassion-focused therapy (cft)
virtual reality (vr)
clinical case study
title COMPASSION-FOCUSED THERAPY WITH VIRTUAL REALITY FOR CALLOUSUNEMOTIONAL YOUTH: A CLINICAL CASE STUDY ON THE THERAPY PROCESS OF A YOUNG OFFENDER
title_full COMPASSION-FOCUSED THERAPY WITH VIRTUAL REALITY FOR CALLOUSUNEMOTIONAL YOUTH: A CLINICAL CASE STUDY ON THE THERAPY PROCESS OF A YOUNG OFFENDER
title_fullStr COMPASSION-FOCUSED THERAPY WITH VIRTUAL REALITY FOR CALLOUSUNEMOTIONAL YOUTH: A CLINICAL CASE STUDY ON THE THERAPY PROCESS OF A YOUNG OFFENDER
title_full_unstemmed COMPASSION-FOCUSED THERAPY WITH VIRTUAL REALITY FOR CALLOUSUNEMOTIONAL YOUTH: A CLINICAL CASE STUDY ON THE THERAPY PROCESS OF A YOUNG OFFENDER
title_short COMPASSION-FOCUSED THERAPY WITH VIRTUAL REALITY FOR CALLOUSUNEMOTIONAL YOUTH: A CLINICAL CASE STUDY ON THE THERAPY PROCESS OF A YOUNG OFFENDER
title_sort compassion focused therapy with virtual reality for callousunemotional youth a clinical case study on the therapy process of a young offender
topic psychopathic traits
antisocial behaviour
juvenile delinquency
moral reasoning
compassion-focused therapy (cft)
virtual reality (vr)
clinical case study
url https://www.psykiatriantutkimussaatio.fi/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Psychiatria_Fennica%E2%94%ACa2024_Heikkila%E2%95%A0e_et_al.pdf
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