scholarly journals The prevalence of severe personality disorder in perpetrators of homicide

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Swinson ◽  
Roger Webb ◽  
Jenny Shaw
Keyword(s):  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Severe Personality Disorder

Frozen child: schema therapy for a forensic patient in a service for men with a diagnosis of severe personality disorder

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 254-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asad Ul Lah ◽  
Jacqui Saradjian
Keyword(s):  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Service User ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Schema Therapy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Protective Strategy ◽  
Personal Reflections ◽  
Participant Observer ◽  
Severe Personality Disorder

Purpose Schema therapy has gone through various adaptations, including the identification of various schema modes. The purpose of this paper is to suggest that there may be a further dissociative mode, the “frozen child” mode, which is active for some patients, particularly those that have experienced extreme childhood trauma. Design/methodology/approach The paper is participant observer case study which is based on the personal reflections of a forensic patient who completed a treatment programme which includes schema therapy. Findings The proposed mode, “frozen child”, is supported by theoretical indicators in the literature. It is proposed that patients develop this mode as a protective strategy and that unless recognised and worked with, can prevent successful completion of therapy. Research limitations/implications Based on a single case study, this concept is presented as a hypothesis that requires validation as the use of the case study makes generalisation difficult. Practical implications It is suggested that if validated, this may be one of the blocks therapists have previously encountered that has led to the view that people with severe personality disorder are “untreatable”. Suggestions are made as to how patients with this mode, if validated, can be treated with recommendations as to the most appropriate processes to potentiate such therapy. Originality/value The suggestion of this potential “new schema mode” is based on service user initiative, arising from a collaborative enterprise between service user and clinician, as recommended in recent government policies.

Severe Personality Disorder

1996 ◽  
Vol 168 (6) ◽  
pp. 723-731 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kingsley Norton ◽  
R. D. Hinshelwood
Keyword(s):  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Psychiatric Treatment ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Term Treatment ◽  
Successful Outcome ◽  
Post Discharge ◽  
Long Term Treatment ◽  
Severe Personality Disorder

BackgroundSevere personality disorder (SPD) is an imprecise but useful term referring to some notoriously difficult to treat psychiatric patients. Their long-term psychiatric treatment is often unsuccessful, in spite of hospitalisation. The specialist expertise of in-patient psychotherapy units (IPUs) can successfully meet some of SPD patients' needs.MethodRelevant literature on the subject is summarised and integrated with the authors' specialist clinical experience.ResultsMany clinical problems with SPD patients are interpersonal and prevent any effective therapeutic alliance, which is necessary for successful treatment. With in-patients, inconsistencies in treatment delivery and issues surrounding compulsory treatment reinforce patients' mistrust of professionals, compromising accurate diagnosis and an assessment of the need for specialist IPU referral.ConclusionsGeneral psychiatric teams are well-placed to plan long-term treatment for SPD patients which may include IPU treatment. Timely referral of selected SPD patients to an IPU maximises a successful outcome, especially if there is appropriate post-discharge collaboration with general psychiatric teams to consolidate gains made.

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