Investigating the interplay between the reported witnessing and experiencing of physical violence within the home, the death of a parent or sibling, stress-sensitivity, and reported false confessions in males

• Identifying predictors of false confessions remains relevant to practise.
• Levels of physical violence and death of parent/sibling predicted false confessions.
• Stress sensitivity strengthened the effect of such events on false confessions.
• High stress sensitivity may be a critical indicator of vulnerability in males.

This study investigates the interplay between the reported witnessing and experiencing of physical violence within the home, the death of a parent or sibling, latent stress-sensitivity levels, and reported false confessions in males. Data were obtained from 5394 male students in further education in Iceland. Zero-inflated negative binomial models were fitted, showing that reported levels of physical violence within the home and the death of a parent or sibling significantly increased the likelihood of reported false confessions. Latent stress-sensitivity interacted with both reported levels of physical violence and the reported experience of the death of a parent or sibling, strengthening the effect of such adverse experiences on the likelihood no false confessions reported. Trait stress-sensitivity therefore appears to increase susceptibility to external influences, and may be a critical factor in predicting the likelihood of false confessions, for a variety of reasons, in young males. Stress-sensitive male interviewees may find it harder to adapt and adjust following adversity, and harder to deal with their emotions during police questioning, rendering such detainees more vulnerable and at risk.