Dr Katarina Fritzon
Associate Professor
Level 3, Building 1a, Faculty of Society & Design, Bond University
Accepting PhD StudentsContact details
Professional biography
Katarina is originally from the UK and joined Bond University in 2005. She is a Registered Psychologist with AHPRA and has practice endorsements in Clinical and Forensic Psychology. She is also a Chartered Forensic Psychologist in the UK.
Her PhD was in the Psychology of Malicious Fire setting, and she has undertaken both clinical and investigative work in the area of arson. She was an accredited Behavioural Investigative Adviser with the National Crime Faculty in the UK and provided assistance to over 30 police investigations of arson. She completed her Chartership training at Broadmoor Special Hospital where she was involved in setting up one of the UKs first treatment programs for arsonists.
Katarina’s research has contributed to theoretical development of models of understanding criminal behaviour, with a specific focus on differentiating criminal actions within the broader framework of Faceted Action Systems Theory (FAST) (Shye, 1985). The original forensic application of the FAST framework was to actions associated with fire setting (Canter and Fritzon, 1998) and evidence for the applicability of this framework for understanding a variety of different criminal behaviours has been found in studies of school homicides (Fritzon and Brun, 2005), intrafamilial homicide (Fritzon and Garbutt, 2001) and terrorist hostage taking (Fritzon, Canter and Wilton, 2001).
Research interests
I am originally from the UK and joined Bond University in 2005 as Program Director for the Masters in Forensic Psychology. I am a Registered Psychologist with Forensic and Clinical endorsement, and also a Chartered Forensic Psychologist in the UK.
My research in the area of crime and interpersonal risk management encompasses my primary focus on the psychology of deliberate fire-setting; as well as investigating the construct of the psychopathic personality within the workplace.
I am also interested, more generally, in personality pathology and its link to offending behaviour, and the relationship between trauma and violence.
My PhD was on the topic of deliberate fire-setting, and together with colleagues from Broadmoor Special Hospital I subsequently developed a treatment program for this offence. Simultaneously, I pursued research in the areas of personality pathology in general and psychopathic personality in particular.
I am currently engaged in several inter-related research studies, under a program of research collaboration, with a colleague from the field of Business Management in the U.S.
Currently I am supervising four HDR students whose topics include:
- Psychopathic personality characteristics and counter-productive work behaviour
- Risk assessment and management in deliberate fire-setting
- The link between early trauma and domestic violence
- Investigating the personality characteristics of illegal money lending operatives.
Teaching expertise
I have taught Forensic and Clinical Psychology at various levels ranging from introductory (undergraduate) to advanced subjects in postgraduate forensic and clinical masters psychology programs. I also teach about personality and individual differences.Professional admissions
- AHPRA Registered Forensic and Clinical Psychologist
- Member of the Australian Psychologist Society
- Member of the APS Forensic College
- Member of the British Psychological Society
- Member of Division of Forensic Psychology (BPS)
- Chartered Forensic Psychologist (BPS)
Qualifications
- Master of Science University of Surrey
- Doctor of Philosophy University of Liverpool
- Master of Arts Honours University of Aberdeen
Fields of Research
- Applied and developmental psychology