A grounded theory exploration of fantasy in the context of violence

Abstract

Fantasy has been previously been studied in relation to sexual offending but has been largely overlooked in the context of violence. This study explored the theme of fantasy in the context of violence as reported by fourteen adult males currently incarcerated for violent offences in Rimutaka Prison, Wellington, New Zealand. Data collection and analysis was undertaken using Grounded Theory methodology (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). Two core categories emerged during data analysis: fantasy to regulate negative emotion and fantasy as a mental simulation of future violence. Participants reported not only fantasising about violence but also fantasising about reducing or eliminating violence. These findings are discussed with reference to the literature on sexual offending and fantasy and to the wider field of emotion regulation and mental simulation as a goal attainment strategy. Finally, implications of the findings on rehabilitation programmes are proposed along with suggestions for future research.