Assessing psychotic symptoms in forensic evaluations of criminal responsibility – a pilot study using Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale

Figures & data

Table 1. Percentage agreement, percentage not described, and Gwet’s AC₁ at the time of the crime and time of the observation.

	Time of alleged crime			Time of mental observation
Item	Percentage not described	Percentage agreement	Gwet’s AC1	Percentage not described	Percentage agreement	Gwet’s AC1
P1	53.3	76.7	0.683	13.3	76.7	0.665
P2	76.7	76.7	0.713	11.7	66.7	0.562
P3	65.0	80.0	0.732	11.7	66.7	0.526
P4	86.7	93.3	0.924	13.3	86.7	0.822
P5	80.0	83.3	0.835	51.7	66.7	0.524
P6	78.3	73.3	0.596	30.0	58.3	0.376
P7	86.7	76.7	0.697	35.0	51.7	0.326
N1	95.0	90.0	0.895	21.7	66.7	0.508
N2	90.0	83.3	0.797	21.7	58.3	0.384
N3	95.0	93.3	0.926	11.7	78.3	0.694
N4	91.7	83.3	0.819	23.3	71.7	0.591
N5	98.3	96.7	0.966	63.3	53.3	0.368
N6	96.7	95.0	0.948	26.7	56.7	0.369
N7	98.3	96.7	0.966	66.7	68.4	0.583
G1	98.3	96.7	0.966	73.3	68.3	0.603
G2	81.7	76.7	0.667	28.3	65.0	0.483
G3	98.3	96.7	0.966	51.7	46.7	0.248
G4	95.0	90.0	0.890	40.0	76.7	0.676
G5	96.7	93.3	0.931	38.3	71.7	0.624
G6	85.0	88.3	0.865	26.7	61.7	0.471
G7	93.3	93.3	0.924	20.0	80.0	0.717
G8	91.7	86.7	0.867	16.7	75.0	0.679
G9	63.3	60.0	0.475	26.7	68.3	0.528
G10	78.3	75.0	0.695	10.0	73.3	0.670
G11	95.0	90.0	0.890	31.7	75.0	0.636
G12	68.3	60.0	0.295	33.3	66.7	0.505
G13	91.7	85.0	0.837	61.7	60.0	0.450
G14	73.3	75.0	0.686	55.0	68.3	0.556
G15	95.0	90.0	0.895	45.0	66.7	0.522
G16	90.0	83.3	0.817	58.3	66.7	0.535

P1 = Delusions, P2 = Conceptual disorganization, P3 = Hallucinations, P4 = Excitement, P5 = Grandiosity, P6 = Suspiciousness/persecution, P7 = Hostility, N1 = Blunted affect, N2 = Emotional withdrawal, N3 = Poor rapport, N4 = Passive/apathetic, N5 = Difficulty in abstract thinking, N6 = Lack of spontaneity and flow of conversation, N7 = Stereotyped thinking, G1 = Somatic concern, G2 = Anxiety, G3 = Guilt feelings, G4 = Tension, G5 = Mannerisms and posturing, G6 = Depression, G7 = Motor retardation, G8 = Uncooperativeness, G9 = Unusual thought content, G10 = Disorientation, G11 = Poor attention, G12 = Lack of judgment and insight, G13 = Disturbance of volition, G14 = Poor impulse control, G15 = Preoccupation, G16 = Active social avoidance.

Table 2. Mean and median (range) for Gwet’s AC₁and percentage symptoms not described at the time of the alleged crime and at time of mental observation.

	Time of alleged crime				Time of mental observation
	Gwet’s AC1		Percentage symptoms not described		Gwet’s AC1		Percentage symptoms not described
Item	Mean	Median (range)	Mean	Median (range)	Mean	Median (range)	Mean	Median (range)
PANSS total	0.805	0.851 (0.295–0.966)	86.2	90.9 (53.3–98.3)	0.540	0.531 (0.248–0.822)	34.1	29.2 (10.0–73.3)
Positive scale	0.740	0.713 (0.596–0.924)	75.2	78.3 (53.3–86.7)	0.543	0.526 (0.326–0.822)	23.8	13.3 (11.7–51.3)
Negative scale	0.902	0.926 (0.797–0.906)	95.0	95.0 (90.0–98.3)	0.500	0.508 (0.368–0.694)	33.6	23.3 (11.7–66.7)
General scale	0.792	0.806 (0.295–0.966)	87.2	91.7 (63.3–98.3)	0.556	0.546 (0.248–0.717)	38.3	35.8 (10.0–73.3)

Figure 1. Association between Gwet’s index and percent no information at the time of the alleged crime and at time of observation.

Figure 2. The main diagnoses in the reports (19 out of 20) together with the conclusion of legal insanity (12 out of 20 reports).

F20.0 = Paranoid Schizophrenia, F20.1 = Hebephrenic schizophrenia, F23.1 = Acute polymorphic psychotic disorder with symptoms of schizophrenia, F25 = Schizoaffective disorder, F32.3 = Severe depressive episode with psychotic symptoms, F33.4 = Recurrent depressive disorder, currently in remission, F43.2 = Adjustment disorders, F60.2 = Dissocial personality disorder, S06.02 = Diffuse brain injury