Violent Crime and Dimensions of Delusion: A Comparative Study of Criminal and Noncriminal Delusional Patients

Article Figures & Data

Table 1

Alcohol and Drug Abuse in the Two Groups

	Study Group (n = 30)(At Time of Violent Act)		Control Group (n = 30)(At Time of Admission)		Missing	p
	Yes	No	Yes	No	Missing	p
Alcohol	07 (53.8)	06 (46.1)	07 (43.7)	09 (56.2)	31	.5884^*
Cannabis	07 (70.0)	03 (30.0)	03 (25.0)	09 (75.0)	38	.0836^†
Cocaine	01 (33.3)	02 (66.7)	02 (50.0)	02 (50.0)	53	NS

Table 2

Comparison of the Psychiatric/Psychotic Symptoms Between the Two Groups

PANSSG (global psychopathology); somatic concern, anxiety, tension, habits and posture, depression, motor defects, and lack of cooperation.
PANSSP (positive symptoms): delusion, conceptual disorganization, hallucinatory behavior, excitation, grandeur, and distrust.
PANSSN (negative symptoms): blunted affect, emotional withdrawal, poor contact, and passive/apathetic social withdrawing.
* Mann-Whitney test.

Table 4

Comparison of the Six Dimensions of the MMDAS Between Groups

	Study Group (n = 29)	Control Group (n = 30)	p^*
Conviction	5.9 ± 1.6 (2.0–8.0)	5.3 ± 1.7 (2.0–8.0)	.2024
Negative affect	1.1 ± 1.2 (0.0–4.0)	2.5 ± 3.9 (0.0–4.0)	.0048
Acting on belief	4.6 ± 0.9 (1.0–5.0)	1.7 ± 1.3 (0.0–5.0)	<.0001
Refraining from acting because of belief	1.9 ± 1.6 (0.0–8.0)	3.3 ± 2.0 (0.0–8.0)	.0069
Preoccupation	2.4 ± 0.9 (1.0–4.0)	2.5 ± 0.9 (1.0–4.0)	.6191
Pervasiveness	1.9 ± 0.7 (1.0–3.0)	2.2 ± 0.5 (1.0–3.0)	.2598

Table 5

Univariate Logistic Regression of the Six Dimensions of the MMDAS

Variable	Study Group (n)	Control Group (n)	p	OR	95% CI
Conviction	29	30	.2202	1.224	(0.886–1.690)
Negative affect	29	30	.0124	.502	(0.292–0.861)
Acting on belief	29	30	<.0001	4.091	(2.220–7.539)
Refraining from acting because of belief	29	30	.0076	.644	(0.466–0.889)
Preoccupation	29	30	.5322	.841	(0.488–1.449)
Pervasiveness	29	30	.2282	.600	(0.261–1.377)