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Premorbid adjustment of schizophrenic criminal offenders
Author(s) -
Schanda H.,
Földes P.,
Topitz A.,
Fliedl R.,
Knecht G.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1992.tb03239.x
Subject(s) - psychology , psychosocial , psychosis , psychiatry , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , clinical psychology , marital status , medicine , population , environmental health
The premorbid psychosocial adjustment of 28 schizophrenic criminal offenders, 23 non‐criminal‐offender schizophrenics (ICD‐9) and 14 nonpsychotic criminals was compared by means of the Premorbid Adjustment Scale (PAS). The schizophrenic groups did not differ regarding age, marital status, diagnostic subgroup or length of illness. PAS scores showed highly significant differences between the schizophrenic groups and the controls on every subscale and on average scores. Yet, aside from 2 items (sociability/withdrawal in adulthood and education), no differences could be found between offender and non‐offender schizophrenics. Furthermore, the PAS scores showed a markedly better premorbid psychosocial adjustment in schizophrenics with offending behaviour (and convictions) before the onset of the psychosis than in schizophrenics without previous convictions, who committed one rather severe crime that was closely connected to psychosis itself.