NCJ Number
56824
Journal
CANADIAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION JOURNAL Volume: 22 Issue: 8 Dated: (DECEMBER 1977) Pages: 447-455
Date Published
1977
Length
9 pages
Annotation
TWO CASE HISTORIES OF XYY CHROMOSOME MALES ARE PRESENTED AND COMPARED WITH 153 CASES DESCRIBED IN THE LITERATURE ON XYY CHROMOSOMES AND THEIR RELATION TO ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR.
Abstract
THE FIRST CASE INVOLVES A 22-YEAR-OLD UNMARRIED PLUMBER'S HELPER WHO HAD BEEN STAYING IN A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL FOR 5 MONTHS BECAUSE OF FEARS THAT HE WAS GOING TO LOSE CONTROL AND INJURE SOMEONE. THE SUBJECT HAD A HISTORY OF CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS, INCLUDING RAPE AT AGE 15, ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON AT AGE 16, AND NUMEROUS CONVICTIONS FOR DRINKING WHILE UNDERAGE. THE SUBJECT HAD DONE POORLY IN SCHOOL ALTHOUGH HIS INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT WAS 106, HAD FEW FRIENDS IN CHILDHOOD, AND WAS A CONSTANT BEHAVIOR PROBLEM, SETTING FIRES AND STARTING FIGHTS WITH TEACHERS. HE WAS 73 INCHES TALL. THE SECOND CASE INVOLVES 18-YEAR-OLD MALE WHO REPORTED HE WAS SUFFERING FROM EXTREME NERVOUSNESS AND UNHAPPINESS. HE FELT CROWDED IN BY PEOPLE AND COMPLAINED OF LIFELONG AGGRESSIVE TENDENCIES OVER WHICH HE HAD LITTLE CONTROL. HE FREQUENTLY FOUGHT WITH SCHOOLMATES AS A CHILD, WAS HYPERACTIVE AND EASILY DISTRACTED, AND ENGAGED IN ACTS OF FIRE SETTING AND CRUELTY TO ANIMALS AT AN EARLY AGE. HE HAS NEVER HAD FRIENDS AND HAS HAD DIFFICULTIES IN HOLDING JOBS. HE IS 76 INCHES TALL. THE SIMILARITY OF THESE TWO CASES AND SOME OF THE OTHER CASES REPORTED IN THE LITERATURE ARE AS FOLLOWS: THE SUBJECTS WERE OVER 6 FEET TALL; THEY EVIDENCED IMPULSIVE, AGGRESSIVE, AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR; THEY WERE CONVICTED OF OFFENSES AT AN EARLY AGE; AND THEY WERE SUSPICIOUS, EVEN PARANOIC, ABOUT THEIR ENVIRONMENTS. SINCE THESE TWO CASES, AS WELL AS THE CASES REPORTED IN THE LITERATURE, ARE SELECTED FROM BIASED OR ABNORMAL POPULATIONS, NO CONCLUSIVE GENERALIZATIONS CAN BE MADE. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)