Objective: To identify the clinical specificity of men with severe mental illness (aged 18 to 40 years) by legal status.
Method: Our study compared 85 inmates with 66 involuntarily hospitalized patients (IHPs) and 50 voluntarily hospitalized patients (VHPs) with at least one Axis I diagnosis of psychosis or major affective disorder. Sociodemographics, medical information, and criminal history were drawn from interviews, medical records, and official criminal records. We used the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to determine Axis I disorders and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Psychopathy was measured with the Psychopathy Checklist--Revised.
Results: We found that inmates had a lower level of schooling (P = 0.001), were more likely to have been in an intimate relationship (P < 0.001), and were less likely to have a psychiatric hospitalization history (P < 0.001), compared with hospitalized patients. Inmates were also more likely to meet criteria for delusional disorders or psychosis not otherwise specified (P < 0.001) and major depression (P = 0.001). IHPs were more likely to meet schizophrenia spectrum disorder criteria (P < 0.001). Inmates had a higher level of comorbidity involving ASPD (P < 0.001), psychopathy (P < 0.001), and substance misuse (P < 0.001). IHPs showed an intermediate level between inmates and VHPs for these comorbid disorders. VHPs had the lowest level of comorbidity with Axis I psychiatric diagnosis.
Conclusion: Our clinical specificity hypothesis was supported: different psychopathological characteristics and social functioning profiles were identified by legal status. Specific integrated treatments should be considered for inmates and IHPs.