King's College London study shows mentalisation therapy cuts aggression in violent offenders

Researchers at King’s College London led by Barbara Barrett evaluated mentalisation‑based psychotherapy (MBT) for men with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) convicted of serious violent crimes. Over 300 participants aged 21 and older from UK prisons and probation services were randomly assigned to either standard probation supervision or supervision plus MBT, which aims to improve self‑reflection and empathy. The MBT group showed a significant reduction in aggressive behaviour compared with the control group.

The findings suggest that combining MBT with usual probation could lower the social and economic burdens on health and criminal‑justice systems, as ASPD is linked to a disproportionate share of violent offences. International studies estimate ASPD affects 2‑3 % of adults – roughly 1.4‑2.1 million people in Germany – and accounts for a high proportion of prison inmates, especially men convicted of violent offences.