Our Research Programs

Our areas of practice and research are Adult Clinical and Adult Correctional/Forensic. I believe that violence and sexual abuse are preventable. Optimizing prevention requires an understanding of what causes individuals (typically adult males) to engage in these behaviours. In our programs of research, therefore, we examine the factors involved in the initiation and maintenance of harmful sexual behaviour and violence.

I have a particular interest in measurement – from measurement models leading to the development of tools through to examining their reliability and validity and their application in clinical and relevant settings (e.g., parole and probation). During my graduate education, I developed an affinity for quantitative research and I found my home in both learning about and using multiple analyses techniques. For example, I have experience in latent variable modeling and meta-analysis, in addition to the more common quantitative analysis such as regression. Furthermore, I truly enjoy sharing my passion about quantitative analysis with students, even when they are reluctant at first. Helping reluctant or struggling students to better understand quantitative research is a joy to me. We can gain access through data sharing agreements to multiple archival datasets from sources such as Correctional Service Canada, Massachusetts Treatment Centre, B.C. Corrections, and HMS Prison Service. Some of these datasets include comprehensive records (e.g., scanned handwritten notes, clinical reports, raw testing material, police and court documents). Students in my laboratory would have access to these datasets as part of the agreements; thus, multiple students could undertake theses and dissertations without having to collect their own data–data collection, especially of clinical data, is otherwise almost impossible to access without existing connections and resources.

I deeply enjoy finding and creating opportunities to share my research using multiple approaches to reach not only academic audiences, but also clinician and other professional end-users (e.g., Corrections Officers), decision-makers, and policy-makers. Thus, my research program falls into three distinct branches.