Dr. Barros is a forensic psychiatrist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul/Brazil (UFRGS), Porte Alegre, Brazil. Dr. Teche is a clinical psychiatrist at Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre/HCPA, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil and PhD student at UFRGS. Ms. Padoan is a psychotherapist and PhD student in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UFRGS. Dr. Laskoski is a clinical psychologist in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UFRGS. Dr. Hauck is Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine and the Post Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UFRGS. Dr. Ezirik is Emeritus Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine and the Post Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UFRGS.
J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2020 Sep;48(3):302-314. doi: 10.29158/JAAPL.003925-20. Epub 2020 May 13.
This study aimed to examine the associations between countertransference induced by sex offenders, defense mechanisms, and manifestations of vicarious trauma in forensic psychiatrists and psychologists. A cross-sectional study using a mixed-methods design was performed with 56 Brazilian forensic psychiatrists and psychologists from October 2016 to May 2017. Countertransference, defense mechanisms, and vicarious trauma were assessed with the Assessment of Countertransference Scale, the Defense Style Questionnaire-40, and the Trauma and Attachment Belief Scale (TABS), respectively. Qualitative data analysis based on grounded theory was also performed to explore the influence of sex-offender assessments on the experts' personal and professional lives. Positive and moderate correlations were found between feelings of indifference and the Other-Safety TABS subscale (rho .43, < .01) and between immature defense mechanisms and TABS total score (rho .45, < .01). Qualitative data revealed changes in the professionals' identity, worldview, and beliefs related to safety and trust. Specific maladaptive coping strategies, such as feelings of indifference and immature defenses, during the assessment of sex offenders were associated with manifestations of vicarious trauma in forensic psychiatrists and psychologists. These findings indicate the need for awareness and care about the forensic expert's mental health.
本研究旨在探讨性犯罪者引起的反移情、防御机制与替代性创伤在法医精神科医生和心理学家中的表现之间的关系。本研究采用混合方法设计，于 2016 年 10 月至 2017 年 5 月对 56 名巴西法医精神科医生和心理学家进行了横断面研究。使用评估反移情量表、防御机制问卷-40 和创伤与依恋信念量表（TABS）分别评估反移情、防御机制和替代性创伤。还进行了基于扎根理论的定性数据分析，以探讨性罪犯评估对专家个人和专业生活的影响。冷漠感与 TABS 的他人安全子量表（rho.43， <.01）和不成熟防御机制与 TABS 总分（rho.45， <.01）之间存在正相关和中度相关。定性数据显示，与安全和信任相关的专业人员的身份、世界观和信念发生了变化。在评估性犯罪者时，特定的适应不良应对策略，如冷漠感和不成熟的防御机制，与法医精神科医生和心理学家的替代性创伤表现有关。这些发现表明需要关注法医专家的心理健康，并对此加以重视。
