Unit 4 Flashcards
(21 cards)
Mental illness
A disorder of the mind that interferes substantially with person’s ability to cope with life on a daily basis
Intellectual disability
1) Limitations in cognitive capacity and is determined by IQ tests
2) Intellectual disability cannot be cured- Can be provided training and support services to lead productive and independent lives
3) Persons who are intellectual disabled are sometimes charged with primarily minor offenses resulting in arrests, being detained in jail, and serving time
Common causes of intellectual disability include:
1) Genetic conditions (Example: Down syndrome)
2) Problems during pregnancy impacting brain development (Example: Drug/alcohol use)
3) Incidents (Examples: Head trauma)
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM)
1) Guidebook for clinicians seeking to define and diagnose specific mental disorders - Now in its fifth revised edition (DSM-5)
2) It is used by mental health professionals to guide diagnosis and justify third-party reimbursement for treatment
There are specific mental disorders or diagnoses most likely to be associated with criminal conduct- Not necessarily serious criminal conduct It must be stressed:
1) Persons with these disorder are not ‘crime prone’
2) If individual is diagnosed with these disorders- Person can still be help responsible for criminal conduct
Categories of mental disorders most relevant are:
1)Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders
2)Bipolar disorder
3)Major depressive disorder
4)Personality disorder (Antisocial personality disorder)
Categories of Mental Disorders
1) These categories of mental disorders are most closely associated with violence across lifespan
2) Individuals with the first three appear in the criminal justice system (often detained in jails)
3) Antisocial personality disorder is a catch-all diagnosis often given to individuals with a long history of antisocial behaviour
4) These four categories of disorders are relevant as they are more likely to be the diagnosis received by individuals charged with serious criminal behaviour- Assuming that a mental disorder is at issue
Schizophrenia
1) Mental disorder characterised by severe breakdowns in thought patterns, emotions, and perceptions
2) Associated with ‘crazy behaviour’ as it frequently manifests itself in bizarre actions
3) Begins early in life (adolescence to mid-30’s)
There are 5 characteristic symptoms of schizophrenia:
1) Delusions= False beliefs of the world
2) Hallucinations = Sense or perceive events/things that other don’t sense or perceive
3) Disorganised speech or thinking
4) Grossly disorganised or abnormal motor behaviour
5) Inappropriate affect
Hallucinations
1) Most common hallucinations are auditory- Hearing voices or sounds no one else hears
2) The individual demonstrates childlike silliness, unpredictable agitation, and persecutory thoughts (Example: Strange creatures are trying to kill him)
3) Psychoactive drugs to treat these disorders have improved- Still have side effects and often need to be adjusted until proper dosage is identified
4) Without such medication these people often experience severe breakdowns in thoughts patterns, emotions, and perceptions
5) Person with schizophrenia is inappropriate in emotion of affect (Example: Being told their grandparent died and they start to smile) or reflect emotional flatness where very little emotional reaction is exhibited
5 types of Schizophrenia disorders:
1) Disorganized type
2) Catatonic type
3) Paranoid type
4) Undifferentiated type
5) Residual type
Disorganized type
1) Inappropriate affect (Example: Silly emotional responses)
2) Marked incoherence and disorganization in thought patterns
3) Associated features include- Extreme social withdrawal, strange mannerisms
2) Catatonic type
1) Severe disturbances in muscular and voluntary movement
2) Extended periods of mutism are common
3) Parrot-like and senseless repetition of a sound or phrase just spoken by another person is also common
4) Prominent grimacing is another frequent characteristic
5) May assume a bizarre posture for long periods of time and then fly into an overreacted, agitated state of screaming and throwing things
6) ‘Catatonic stupor’- Example: Will stay in a certain position even if another person attempts to change their body position
7) Catalepsy’ (Also referred to as waxy flexibility)
3)Paranoid type
1) Characterized by delusions and hallucinations (auditory hallucinations)
2) May be convinced that the world is inhabited by extraterrestrials who are going to take over the world
3) Another may hear voices commanding them to rid the world of red-haired individuals
4) Most frequently represented in criminal behaviour
4) Undifferentiated type
1) Shows psychotic symptoms that cannot be classified into any of the other categories
2) Display active, psychotic features (Examples: Delusions, hallucinations, incoherent speech, or confused/disorganized behaviour) but don’t meet specifications of the other types
5) Residual type
1) These individuals have had at least one episode of schizophrenia and there is evidence that some of the symptoms are continuing
2) (Example: The person may still display blunted emotions or illogical thinking, but no other symptoms)
More Info
1) Excessive violence is most common among offenders with hallucinations and delusions
2) Delusions (mainly persecutory ones) are common in persons with schizophrenia who commit violent offenses
Delusional disorder
1) Mental disorder characterized by presence of one/more non-bizarre delusions that persist for at least a month
Judgement of whether delusion’s systems are bizarre or non-bizarre- Important in deciding between delusional disorder and schizophrenia Subtypes of delusional disorder:
1) Erotomanic
2) Jealous
3) Persecutory
4) Grandiose
5) Somatic
6) Mixed
7) Unspecified
Persecutory type is associated with criminal conduct
1) Are convinced they are being told to do something or believe they must obey command that is given to them
Persecutory effect examples:
1) Serial killer- Kill all read heads
2) Murderer- Kill neighbour
