title: Locks, keys, and security of mind: psychodynamic approaches to forensic psychiatry.
abstract: In this article, we discuss psychological approaches to the understanding of acts of violence and, specifically, psychodynamic approaches to both formulation and treatment. We suggest that the key theoretical paradigm of a psychodynamic approach involves the exploration and elaboration of the meaning of a violent act for the offender and describe the relevance of this approach for both legal assessments and clinical services in secure residential care. We argue that a psychodynamic approach can improve the quality of assessments of both psychopathology and risk and inform effective therapeutic interventions in hard-to-treat patients.
authors.affiliation: Portman Clinic, London, UK.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yakeley
authors.forename: Gwen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Adshead
mesh_terms: D057237:Criminals / Q000523:psychology*; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014481:United States; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology