Discriminating deliberate self-harm (DSH) in young prison inmates through personality disorder.
This study investigated deliberate self-harm (DSH) in young inmates. The objectives are twofold: first, to identify the social and clinical characteristics of inmates who commit DSH; and secondly, to ascertain the types of personality who are vulnerable in order to be able to predict future inmates who may harm themselves. A cross-sectional design was used to study psychosocial correctional personality characteristics and clinical pictures in inmates with DSH versus a control group without DSH. The measures used to evaluate different variables were a standard protocol and a self-report questionnaire (MCMI-II). Although the two groups compared are homogeneous and similar in terms of different psychosocial variables, inmates with DSH presented a significant background of maltreatment. Borderline, passive-aggressive, and antisocial personality disorders best discriminated both groups. The detection of borderline, negativistic, and antisocial disorders may help the medical services of penitentiary centers to predict youths with a possible risk of DSH. Despite the results obtained, longitudinal studies are needed to help clarify other risk factors, as well as other risk factors leading to self-harm behavior.
Mohino Justes
S
S
Catalan Institute of Forensic Medicine of Higher Court of Justice, Clínica Médico-Forense de Barcelona, Ronda de San Pedro, 35, bajos. 08010 Barcelona, Spain.
Ortega-Monasterio
L
L
Planchat Teruel
L M
LM
Cuquerella Fuentes
A
A
Talón Navarro
T
T
Macho Vives
L J
LJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires