Relationship between Crime, Psychological Diagnosis and Cognitive Functioning

<p>Within various forensic state hospitals, neuropsychological testing is used to improve patient management through treatment and release planning because cognitive impairment and a diagnosis of Schizophrenia have direct implications on chance of release from a state hospital and risk of future violence. To understand the seeming inter-workings of the variables of cognitive functioning, mental health diagnosis, and violence, this study sought to test how various demographic, developmental, mental health, and cognitive factors impact a patient's crime committed and the presence of violence during the commission of the crime, as well as testing the direct relationships between these variables. Results from this study revealed significant differences in demographic variables of gender, as well as history of developmental delay, diagnosis of an intellectual disorder, and Total RBANS score for the type of crime that a patient committed. Individuals without the Presence of Violence were more likely to have a history of developmental delay and have a diagnosis of an Intellectual/Cognitive Disorder than those with the Presence of Violence. In testing the relationship between Type of Crime and having a history of Intellectual/Cognitive disorder, Psychotic disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder, and Total RBANS, it was found that Type of Crime was directly influenced by a diagnosis of Intellectual/Cognitive disorder and those patients with a Severe Violent crime were more likely to have a higher RBANS Total score and were less likely to have been diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder. It was also found that patients diagnosed with an Intellectual Disorder and with a Psychotic Disorder were more likely to have a lower RBANS Total score and those who have committed a Severe Violent crime were more likely to have a higher RBANS Total score and a higher RBANS Categorical score. Findings from this study suggest that a more detailed analysis of patterns of functioning on neuropsychological tests along with a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder may reveal additional relationships between the presence of violence and commission of violent crime, which confirms past research that states there is a combination of factors influencing violence and violent crime.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year

2016

Author dc:creator

• Kinworthy, Kayla M.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Lee, Grace J.
• Kinney, Dominique I.
• Nitch, Stephen R.
• Vermeersch, David

• Clinical Psychology
• Psychology
• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Violent Crime; Criminal Psychology; Psychology Clinical; Forensic Psychology;
• Cognitive Functioning; Neuropsychological Testing; Mental Health Diagnosis; Violence

Statement dc:rights

• This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/386

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarsrepository.llu.edu:etd-1381