title: Homicidal behaviour among people with avoidant, dependent and obsessive-compulsive (cluster C) personality disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite a growing forensic psychiatry literature, no previous study has examined in detail homicidal behaviour among offenders with cluster C personality disorders - the avoidant, dependent or obsessional personality disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to compare homicide offenders with cluster C personality disorders with those with other personality disorders on criminal history, offender-victim relationship and post-offence reaction variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample was drawn from all Finnish homicide cases of 1996-2004 for whom a forensic psychiatric evaluation had been conducted. Data were extracted from forensic psychiatric and crime reports.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In a nationwide sample of 593 homicide offenders, 21 had at least one cluster C personality disorder. These offenders had significantly shorter criminal histories than the others. Offender-victim relationship did not differ between the groups, but confession to the crime and feelings of remorse were more common among people with cluster C disorders. In addition, compared with other personality disorder clusters, co-morbid depression was more common.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cluster C personality disorders are rare, but not nonexistent, among homicide offenders. Observed differences in their backgrounds and post-offence behaviours indicate that they may have special needs.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, and Forensic Center for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland. taina.laajasalo@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Taina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laajasalo
authors.forename: Mikko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ylipekka
authors.forename: Helinä
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Häkkänen-Nyholm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003193:Compulsive Personality Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003859:Dependent Personality Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006708:Homicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology