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BUFFALO, N.Y. – A Â鶹´«Ã½o criminologist has introduced a new element into one of the field’s guiding frameworks that has implications for crime reduction and other fundamental areas related to criminology and criminal justice.

Christopher Dennison, PhD, an associate professor of sociology and criminology in the UB College of Arts and Sciences, builds upon General Strain Theory (GST), a compelling and widely accepted explanation for how and why emotions are relevant to a basic understanding of crime. GST broadly suggests that certain strains − situations, patterns or events that trigger a negative emotional response like anger or frustration − can lead, in turn, to crime and other coping behaviors.

Robert Agnew, PhD, a professor of sociology at Emory University, first proposed GST in 1992 and further developed the theory in 2001. Agnew’s two most influential papers on GST have been cited by scholars more than 10,000 times.

Now, the where Dennison argues that emotional invalidation, a component that has not been previously considered in GST’s constellation of strains, can provide valuable new perspectives into crime and its causes.

“GST has been instrumental in disentangling the link between strains, emotions and crime, but I believe integrating that theory with the concept of emotional invalidation can push GST further,” says Dennison. “Integrating emotional invalidation into GST can also help researchers, clinicians and policymakers understand what strains are most conducive to crime and what strains that might contribute to crime have not been studied or even considered.”

These strains – things like the death of a parent, victimization, or job loss – have the capacity to leave people navigating the world incorrectly or irrationally, according to Dennison.

“Emotional invalidation puts people in survival mode,” says Dennison. “I believe feeling invalidated is the initial consequence of strains. Something bad happens to us, and we can’t make sense of it. In turn, we begin to distrust our own sense of self, and this is where problems arise,” he explains.

“It's this lack of validation that fuels the anger we often misdirect at others. In truth, what we seek is a deeper understanding of our experiences and the validation of our emotions.”

Emotional invalidation occurs when people have a sense that others do not relate to their perception of an event. A response to an event such as, “You’re too sensitive,” is an example of emotional invalidation.

“We know through empirical research on GST that strains like poverty and abuse can lead to crime and substance use through the negative emotion they can create,” says Dennison. “But why do others who endure these strains and experience these emotions not turn to crime?”

That’s where emotional invalidation comes in.

“By integrating emotional invalidation with GST we can continue to investigate strains that we know matter for people’s lives while gaining a better understanding of why some get involved with crime and others do not,” says Dennison. “This is where behaviors like gaslighting – arguably the most overt form of emotional invalidation – should be explored as a precursor to criminal behavior and coping mechanisms such as drug use.

“Unfortunately, these subtle yet impactful strains are often overlooked or dismissed in society.”

Dennison’s paper was motivated by the lingering questions about whether or not negative emotions manifest themselves as crime, but his theory also involves a personal reckoning after being admitted last year to a psychiatric hospital.

“By recognizing the sources of my lifelong invalidation and applying my sociological knowledge, I began to understand my negative emotions a bit more. While this approach mirrors therapeutic processes, it remains underexplored in criminological literature, though it may offer valuable insights into addressing crime,” he says. “This is why I believe that stressors that don’t lead to crime could have a lot to do with how those strains were processed.

“For instance, if a strain was experienced and processed in a way that leaves the individual feeling validated, then the strain will theoretically not lead to crime.”

Dennison will soon begin to empirically test his theory using data from approximately 1,000 Black and Latino individuals in young adulthood who completed a survey about their criminal behavior, emotional well-being, and perceived levels of emotional invalidation.