NCJ Number
187925
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 45 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2001 Pages: 198-213
Date Published
April 2001
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Semistructured interviews of 39 male offenders in a forensic psychiatric hospital in the Netherlands provided information for a study of the prevalence and co-occurrence of Axis I and Axis II disorders as defined in the third revised edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III-R).
Abstract
The offenders participated voluntarily in a treatment outcome study and underwent a psychological and psychiatric assessment after admission. The study excluded those who were psychotic, severely confused, or unable to concentrate. The interviews used the Composite International Disorder Interview to identify Axis I disorders and the International personality Disorder Examination to identify Axis II disorders. Results revealed that the most prevalent Axis I disorders were substance abuse (75.7 percent), mood disorders (51.3 percent), and anxiety disorders (40.3 percent). In addition, 86.8 percent of the participants had a personality disorder, most often from the B cluster of Axis II. A total of 42.1 percent of the participants received the diagnosis of personality disorder not otherwise specified. Results also revealed comorbidity of mood and anxiety disorders with personality disorders in 61 percent of the participants and with drug abuse in 47 percent of the participants. Results indicated that the prevalence rates of the separate disorders were much higher in the forensic participants than in the general population. Findings emphasized the importance of the use of standardized diagnostic instruments and the assessment of a broad range of disorders. Tables and 38 references (Author abstract modified)