title: Substance use disorders in forensic psychiatric patients.
abstract: There is a lack of detailed information on the role of substance use disorders (SUD) as a substantial factor in offences and treatment in forensic psychiatric patients. The aim of this study was to get a better understanding of these specifics. Clinical records of 193 male patients admitted to a Dutch forensic psychiatric hospital were scrutinized on anamnestic, diagnostic and risk assessment data. One of the central findings was that the prevalence of SUDs was high. Patients with an SUD had a more extensive criminal history, unstable and deviant lifestyle and higher risk of violent behavior than patients without a substance use disorder. No differences were found in duration of treatment, aggressive incidents and leave. Another important finding was that a distinction could be made between patients with substance use as a primary criminogenic risk factor and patients with substance use as a secondary risk factor. Although substance use is identified as a general risk factor, this study supports the idea of sub categorization of patients with an SUD and emphasizes the need for a different treatment approach. Further study is needed to identify specific treatment approaches, based on more differentiated profiles of these patients.
authors.affiliation: Pompestichting Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jolien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van der Kraan
authors.affiliation: Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Psychiatry, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Robbert Jan
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Verkes
authors.affiliation: University Forensic Centre, Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goethals
authors.affiliation: Pompestichting Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Annelies
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vissers
authors.affiliation: Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Inti
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brazil
authors.affiliation: Pompestichting Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: e.bulten@pompestichting.nl.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bulten
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003415:Crime / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Criminogenic need; Forensic psychiatric patients; Offence; Substance use disorders; What works principles