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Biomedical subjects

G Gudjonsson

Publications and source records attributed to G Gudjonsson.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Cognitive distortions and blame attribution in sex offenders against adults and children.

OBJECTIVE: Sexual offenders tend to hold attitudes and beliefs which minimize and justify their offending behavior. It was hypothesized that distorted thinking supporting sexual offending and blame attribution would differ depending on the offence characteristics of different groups of sexual offenders. METHOD: Two groups of sexual offenders separated on the basis of the age of their victims (sex offenders against children, 36; sex offenders against adults, 30) were compared on measures of cognitive distortions relating to sex with children and rape and a measure of blame attribution which assesses external, mental element, and guilt feeling attributions. RESULTS: Child sexual offenders endorsed more cognitive distortions relating to sex with children, but there were no group differences in cognitive distortions relating to rape. Those who offended against adults reported more external attributions and child offenders reported more guilt feeling attributions. Mental element attribution related to alcohol intoxication and use of violence in the offence, but was not related to group differences. CONCLUSIONS: Results are interpreted as suggesting that child sex offenders support their offending by more enduring distorted cognitions, while those who offend against adults use blame attributions associated with the particular offence.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Sexual adjustment and its predictors after traumatic brain injury.

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on sexual ability, activity and satisfaction and to relate the findings to neurological status, functioning and well-being. A total of 92 TBI persons (65 men, 27 women) participated. Their ages ranged from 20-70 years (median 40 years); the median age at injury was 32 years, ranging from 16-56 years. The elapsed time since injury ranged from 1-20 years (median 9 years). The participants were examined according to a procedure including neurological examination, self-assessment of general health status and functioning and mood, and collection of data on social conditions. A structured study-specific questionnaire was developed to assess various aspects of sexuality before and after the injury. Fifty-three of the participants had a stable partner relationship at the time of the investigation. This study showed that a TBI commonly alters sexual functioning as well as desire. Many of the respondents reported decreased ability to achieve an erection, decreased ability to experience organism, decreased sexual desire and diminished frequency of intercourse. A high degree of physical independence and maintained sexual ability were the most important predictors for sexual adjustment. Considering that many TBI persons in this study reported physiological sexual disturbances and decreased sexual ability, it is important to inform patients about possibilities of optimizing their sexual ability. Organized programmes of sexuality education should be an integral component of TBI rehabilitation.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

The functional independence measure in Sweden: experience for outcome measurement in rehabilitation medicine.

The purpose of the study was to describe the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) in Sweden and to analyse some aspects on its structure and the possibility to predict length of stay in a rehabilitation ward. It assesses the degree of dependence with 13 physical and 5 social and cognitive items, using a 7-level ordinal scale. Data are presented from a total of 312 patients and from 267 first admission patients with a mean age of 45 (SD 13) years, 66% being men, in rehabilitation medicine wards in three hospitals in Sweden. The patients were divided into six diagnostic groups. Ratings were made at admission and at discharge. The level of dependence in physical and social cognitive items was reduced during the stay at the ward. Using Rasch analysis, separate physical and social-cognitive items and personal measures were obtained on a linear scale. It was demonstrated that the relative order of the items was similar at admission and discharge. There were minor differences between diagnostic groups for the physical items, whereas more diagnostic-specific differences were seen for the social-cognitive items, for stroke patients with and without aphasia. Individual statistics were used for demonstrating FIM changes during the rehabilitation period. There was a high correlation between admission and discharge FIM values, and the admission FIM (physical items) accounted for up to nearly 50% of the variation in length of stay in a homogeneous sample such as stroke patients, but for less than 40% in the total sample. FIM can be used to follow changes during inpatient rehabilitation and for comparisons between different rehabilitation units.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1988

Using the psychological stress evaluator in conditions of extreme stress.

The Psychological Stress Evaluator (PSEV) is a machine for detecting signs of stress in the voice. It was tested using tape recordings of negotiators during a prolonged terrorist siege in which a number of death threats were issued. The study aimed to test whether the PSEV could distinguish between the traces of terrorist voices before the death threats from voice traces at other points. A scoring system using the proportion of voice oscillations falling above defined amplitude levels was used. PSEV scores did rise significantly more just before the actual shooting of a hostage. Unfortunately, the apparatus proved to be slow and cumbersome in practice and of limited, or no, use during the course of incidents similar to the one analysed.

Humans↗