Intelligentie, executieve functies en licht verstandelijke beperking in justitiecontext

Abstract

Individuals with a mild to borderline intellectual disability (MBID) are thought to be over-represented in the criminal justice system. The current article reviews research on the associations between executive functioning with antisocial behavior and MBID. Associations with executive functions such as working memory, inhibition, planning and cognitive flexibility, as well as punishment and reward sensitivity, are described. Working memory appears particularly strongly associated with antisocial behavior as well as with MBID. Research on MBID to date, however, almost exclusively focused on children and adolescents. More research on these issues could provide practical information for supervision as well as aid the adaptation or development of interventions for this population, and provide tools to allocate individuals to interventions tailored to their specific needs.