Mental disorders in a forensic sample of sexual offenders.
OBJECTIVE
- The present study examined the prevalence of DSM IV axis I disorders and DSM IV personality disorders among sexual offenders in Forensic State Hospitals in Germany.


METHODS
- Current and lifetime prevalence rates of mental disorders were investigated based on clinical structured interviews among sexual offenders (n = 55). Additionally, subgroups were analyzed on the basis of diagnostic research criteria, with 30 sexual offenders classified as paraphiliacs and 25 sexual offenders as having an impulse control disorder (without paraphilia).


RESULTS
- Anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and substance use disorders were common among sexual offenders, as were cluster B and cluster C personality disorders. While social phobia was most common among paraphilic sexual offenders, major depression was most prevalent in impulse control disordered sexual offenders.


CONCLUSIONS
- The results replicate recent findings of high psychiatric morbidity in sexual offenders placed in forensic facilities. Furthermore, differential patterns of co-morbid mental disorders were found in paraphiliacs and impulse control disordered sexual offenders. With regard to an effective therapy and relapse prevention co-morbid mental disorders should be a greater focus in the assessment of subgroups of sexual offenders.
Leue
Anja
A
Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany. aleue@as200.zi-mannheim.de
Borchard
Bernd
B
Hoyer
Jürgen
J
D000328:Adult; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*