PRR Project

Summary

Forensic Clinical Psychology is an emerging area, boosted in the 90s by the Risk Need Responsivity (RNR) model, which contradicted myths that “nothing works” in the rehabilitation of offenders. RNR is still a leading model for the study/treatment of this population, based on extensive research on predictive factors for criminal recidivism. Recent research showed that youth/adults intervened by justice services represent one of the most complex and extensively traumatized populations, strengthening the need to deliver trauma-informed psychotherapeutic programs tailored to these individuals. The RU has been leading innovative research in this area, contributing to change the way researchers, clinicians, and stakeholders look at offender rehabilitation efforts. Making available empirically-based interventions, designed to be delivered in forensic settings, constitutes a unique opportunity to offer these individuals appropriate treatment, crucial for healing, rehabilitation, and reintegration in society. Tasks to be assigned :The upcoming employee is expected to pursue high-quality research with full scientific autonomy, bringing together forensic and clinical psychological domains, aiming to: a) propose new approaches to the current understanding about the origins, development, and maintenance of antisocial behavior, bringing innovations in cognitive-behavioral models to the forensic area; b) develop and test innovative psychological interventions for the treatment of youth and adults intervened by justice systems, to be delivered both in community and detention settings; c) investigate mechanisms of change in interventions targeting antisocial behavior and associated problems (e.g., psychopathy), as well as interventions’ impact on criminal recidivism/social adjustment over time.To achieve these aims, it is also expected that the employee makes substantial efforts to:  a) capture inter/national funding to support research projects; b) establish/reinforce international collaborations/partnerships; c) enroll early career researchers (e.g., PhD students) in Forensic Clinical Psychology research, aiming to create a group of researchers dedicated to this topic; d) foster the dissemination of research findings to the scientific community and to the general public; e) increase transference of knowledge to practitioners/organizations related with the justice at inter/national levels (e.g., delivery of empirically-based intervention programs in justice settings).The transference of knowledge, research outputs/products, as well as consultancy services will also be important tasks, facilitated by the Cognitive-Behavioral Clinical Psychology Unit (UPC3).  It is also expected that the upcoming employee’s work aligns with pedagogical priorities of the host institution (graduation/post-graduation courses at FPCE, specifically the recent master’s degree on Clinical Forensic Psychology and the Psychology PhD degree, specialization in Forensic Psychology), also participating in organizational/management activities. Scientific profile:Considering the abovementioned tasks, the candidate should have expertise in Forensic and Clinical Psychology, with a research emphasis on: a) new perspectives on the origins, course, and maintenance factors of antisocial behavior problems, within a cognitive-behavioral framework; b) developing/testing the efficacy of innovative psychological interventions targeting the treatment of youth/adults intervened by the justice system in community and detention settings; c) mechanisms of change in psychological interventions focused on antisocial behavior and associated problems, as well as interventions’ impact on criminal recidivism/social adjustment.Additional required skills include former experience in leading/participating in inter/national research projects in Forensic Clinical Psychology; capacity to establish international partnerships directed at improving research efforts; and experience in enrolling/training young researchers. Experience in transference of knowledge will also be highly valued. Rationale to hire:CINEICC pursues high-quality research aligned with different UN SDGs. This position aims to strengthen the RU’s critical mass in a key area of its strategic project, i.e., in the domain of Forensic Clinical Psychology, which interconnectedly allies SDG 3 (Goal 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being) and SDG 16 (Goal 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere). This position is specifically focused on addressing mental health intervention needs of youth/adults in forensic settings, fostering the delivery of evidence-based interventions, contributing to promote a peaceful and non-violent society, decreasing the odds of reoffending and future prison sentences, impacting on associated clinical/societal costs.