Applying the criminal narrative experience framework to missing children. Issue 1 (6th November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hunt, Daniel
• Is Part Of: Journal of investigative psychology and offender profiling. Volume 18:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 18
• Page End: 34
• Publication Date: 2020-11-06
• Subjects: criminal narratives -- missing children -- missing children narrative experience framework -- missing persons -- narrative experience; Criminal psychology -- Periodicals; Criminal behavior, Prediction of -- Periodicals; 365.3
• DOI: 10.1002/jip.1567
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1544-4759

Abstract

Abstract: Over 320, 000 missing persons are estimated to go missing annually in United Kingdom due to a variety of intentional and unintentional factors. This article aims to investigate whether the criminal narrative experience framework can be applied to missing persons to acquire a deeper insight into the psychological differences between missing children. Sixty‐one previously missing persons completed a missing experience survey, narrative roles questionnaire, and emotions questionnaire. Data were content analysed and subjected to a non‐metric, multi‐dimensional scaling procedure in the form of smallest space analysis. The results identified four distinct behavioural themes as follows: depressed throwaway victim, distressed pushaway revenger, calm runaway professional and elated fallaway hero. Following a stringent criterion, 88.50% of the sample could be differentiated into one dominant behavioural theme with the remaining 11.50% identified as a hybrid theme. Due to the exploratory nature of the study, additional exploration of the applicability of the framework is required.