Skin-conductance orienting deficits and increased alcoholism in schizotypal criminals.
This study tested the interaction hypothesis that a subgroup of criminals with schizotypal personality would show skin-conductance orienting deficits and increased alcoholism. In a prospective, longitudinal study of alcoholism in 134 males, schizotypy was assessed during adolescence, skin-conductance orienting was assessed at ages 18-20 years, and criminal offending and alcohol abuse were assessed at ages 30-33 years. A significant interaction between schizotypy and criminality indicated that schizotypal criminals were characterized by autonomic orienting deficits. Furthermore, the rate of alcoholism in schizotypal criminals (54.8%) was significantly higher than in criminals (23.8%), schizotypal noncriminals (13.9%), and comparisons (21.7%). It is argued that schizotypal criminals are a relatively distinct group and that prefrontal dysfunction may underlie both orienting deficits and alcoholism in this group.
Raine
A
A
Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 90098-1061, USA. raine@almaak.usc.edu
Bihrle
S
S
Venables
P H
PH
Mednick
S A
SA
Pollock
V
V
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003415:Crime; D018450:Disease Progression; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010553:Personality Development; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology