Mental Disorders and Offending

Question 1

Mental disorder and offending

Answer 1

Shaw et al (2006) suggest that schizophrenia has a prevalence of 5% in homicide perpetrators as opposed to 1% in the general population

Hodgins (1992) suggests a four fold increase in lifetime violent offenses for those with a major mental disorder and those without

Question 2

Early/late starters

Answer 2

Early starters: consistent history of antisocial behaviour and tend not to show a pattern of anti-social behaviour when acutely unwell

Late starters: Their history of offending tend to begin at approximately the same time as the onset of their symptoms. More likely to be positively helped by treatment

Question 3

Mania, Command hallucinations and threat and control override symptoms

Answer 3

Mania – in some cases an individuals criminal history has been connected to recurring manic episodes. This suggests a possible impact of increased disinhibition.

Command Hallucinations – Rates of command hallucinations are no different in forensic and non-forensic populations

Threat and control override symptoms –These delusions tend to cause feelings of personal threat and pathological thoughts that override self-control.

Question 4

Psychological Perspectives on Stigma

Answer 4

Allport (1954): All societies marked by ingroups and outgroups

People motivated to accentuate positive attributes of ingroups. Devalue and homogenise outgroups. I.e. inbuilt tendency to “us” and ”them” thinking.

3 inbuilt social cognitive processes involved: social categorisation, social identification and social comparison

Question 5

Impact of stigmatisation?

Answer 5

Psychological:
Stigma Shout Survey (2008)
9/10 people with MH problems report stigma has -ve impact on their life;
2/3 fear of discrimination prevents activities.

Internalised stigma (self-stigma):
= Believing and/or taking on the attributes of the stigmatised identity bestowed upon you.  

Physical:
Poorer physical health  life expectancy