Desulion and crime : case-control study of delusional men who have committed criminal acts with violence compared to delusional men who have not committed criminal acts / Delirio e delito : estudo caso-controle de homens delirantes que cometeram atos criminosos com violencia comparados com delirantes que não cometeram atos criminosos

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2007

RESUMO

Introduction: Some aspects of the psychopathology of delusion and the profile of the delirious patients seem to be related to the occurrence of violent crime. Objective: To describe the social-demographic and psychopathologic profile of delirious patients who have committed violent crimes. Methods: Retrospective case-control study, comparing two groups of thirty delusional patients. All patients had presented psychotic disorders with definite delusion activity. The patients of the case group had committed violent crimes and have been selected out of the criminal-psychiatric ward Franco da Rocha-SP, from 2004 to 2006. The patients of the control group have been selected out of psychiatric ward of the Hospital das Clínicas da Unicamp, of the Hospital e Maternidade Celso Pierro (PUC-Campinas) and of the Instituto Américo Bairral of the city of Itapira-SP. Scales PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale), MINI (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview) and MMDAS (Macarthur-Maudsley Delusion Assessment Scale) have been used. Results: The two groups were very similar as far as social-demographic profile, history of the illnesses, substance abuse and content of the delusion. The patients of the case group had greater criminal records, although a smaller frequency of light aggressions. The victims of the crimes had been more often acquaintances or relatives. In relation to the dimensions of the delusion, the patients in the study group scored less in "action inhibition" and "negative affection". Conclusions: Intrinsic factors of the delusion seem to be more relevant than social-demographic profile in the delusional patients who commit crimes. Delusions that induce action inhibition apparently also reduce the potential for violent actions. In contrast to what is commonly said, delusional patients with fear and other negative affection associated to the delusion seem to commit less violent acts

ASSUNTO(S)

psychotic disorders crime crime transtornos psicotico psychopathology psicopatologia

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