The Operationalisation and Measurement of Aggressive Scripts in an Offender Population

This thesis advances the conceptualisation of aggressive scripts and their rehearsal to (1) clarify and operationalise the content, processes, and purpose of aggressive scripts in relation to aggressive behaviour, (2) elucidate similarities and differences between aggressive script rehearsal and the theoretically similar cognitive constructs of fantasy and rumination, and (3) examine the link between aggressive script rehearsal and emotion dysregulation; using an offender population. Results enabled the development of a novel measure of aggressive scripts, and identified treatment needs of violent offenders in relation to aggressive script rehearsal.