Abstract

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.

LLU Discipline

Clinical Psychology

Department

Psychology

School

School of Behavioral Health

First Advisor

Lee, Grace J.

Second Advisor

Kinney, Dominique I.

Third Advisor

Nitch, Stephen R.

Fourth Advisor

Vermeersch, David

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Year Degree Awarded

2016

Date (Title Page)

9-2016

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Violent Crime; Criminal Psychology; Psychology Clinical; Forensic Psychology;

Subject - Local

Cognitive Functioning; Neuropsychological Testing; Mental Health Diagnosis; Violence

Type

Dissertation

Page Count

85

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage 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.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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