The relationship between mental illness and violent behavior is a complex phenomenon. Scientific literature indicates that the presence of a mental disorder, even severe, is not sufficient, alone, to predict or motivate violent behavior, which seems to be more associat- ed with other intermediate variables. The phenomenon of psychiatrization of violent behavior can be defined, from a psychiatric-forensic point of view, as the prejudicial and erroneous attribution to mental illness as a causal factor in relation to violent behavior. This phenome- non has consequences in psychiatric clinical practice, but also at the level of social stigmatization, management of organizational and eco- nomic resources, and the judicial system. In this paper, clinical criticalities related to the psychiatrization of violent behavior will be analyzed, including the need to differentiate clinical etiology and legal causality, predictability and avoidability, protective clinical factors and clinical risk factors, the limits of categorical psychiatric diagnosis, the need for specific victimological information, the criticalities of pharmacother- apy. Some forensic criticalities will also be analyzed, including errors in clinical and forensic methodology (psychiatrization of the symptom, prejudicial contamination, diagnostic overshadowing, legal causalization of protective and risk factors, the use of categorical diagnosis in the forensic field, the psychiatrization of non-pathological human experiences, the criminalization of the subject with mental disorder). In con- clusion, it is highlighted that an individual can have a psychic disorder, even severe, but this disorder is not necessarily in a causal relation- ship with violent behavior. The lack of a causal relationship makes predictability of violent behavior difficult, even impossible depending on the case, both in the general population and in individuals with psychiatric disorders.

The psychiatrization and unpredictability of interpersonal violent behavior / Nivoli, ALESSANDRA M. A.; Milia, Paolo; Depalmas, Cristiano; Nivoli, Giancarlo; Massimo, Biondi; Taras, Giulia; Lorettu, Liliana; Nivoli, Alessandra. - In: RIVISTA DI PSICHIATRIA. - ISSN 2038-2502. - 55:6-supplemento(2020).

The psychiatrization and unpredictability of interpersonal violent behavior

PAOLO MILIA
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
CRISTIANO DEPALMAS
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
GIANCARLO NIVOLI
Conceptualization
;
GIULIA TARAS
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
LILIANA LORETTU
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
NIVOLI, Alessandra
2020-01-01

Abstract

The relationship between mental illness and violent behavior is a complex phenomenon. Scientific literature indicates that the presence of a mental disorder, even severe, is not sufficient, alone, to predict or motivate violent behavior, which seems to be more associat- ed with other intermediate variables. The phenomenon of psychiatrization of violent behavior can be defined, from a psychiatric-forensic point of view, as the prejudicial and erroneous attribution to mental illness as a causal factor in relation to violent behavior. This phenome- non has consequences in psychiatric clinical practice, but also at the level of social stigmatization, management of organizational and eco- nomic resources, and the judicial system. In this paper, clinical criticalities related to the psychiatrization of violent behavior will be analyzed, including the need to differentiate clinical etiology and legal causality, predictability and avoidability, protective clinical factors and clinical risk factors, the limits of categorical psychiatric diagnosis, the need for specific victimological information, the criticalities of pharmacother- apy. Some forensic criticalities will also be analyzed, including errors in clinical and forensic methodology (psychiatrization of the symptom, prejudicial contamination, diagnostic overshadowing, legal causalization of protective and risk factors, the use of categorical diagnosis in the forensic field, the psychiatrization of non-pathological human experiences, the criminalization of the subject with mental disorder). In con- clusion, it is highlighted that an individual can have a psychic disorder, even severe, but this disorder is not necessarily in a causal relation- ship with violent behavior. The lack of a causal relationship makes predictability of violent behavior difficult, even impossible depending on the case, both in the general population and in individuals with psychiatric disorders.
2020
The psychiatrization and unpredictability of interpersonal violent behavior / Nivoli, ALESSANDRA M. A.; Milia, Paolo; Depalmas, Cristiano; Nivoli, Giancarlo; Massimo, Biondi; Taras, Giulia; Lorettu, Liliana; Nivoli, Alessandra. - In: RIVISTA DI PSICHIATRIA. - ISSN 2038-2502. - 55:6-supplemento(2020).
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11388/240811
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