G. Kernbachwighton et al., THE DISCRIMINATION BETWEEN OVERT AND NON-OVERT SELF-INFLICTED LESIONS, Forensic science international, 89(3), 1997, pp. 203-209
Injuries following autoaggressive behaviour are found in patients exam
ined in forensic medicine as well as in psychiatric clinics. Self-muti
lation often is combined with a borderline personality disorder in psy
chiatric patients. Our investigation compares injuries and wounds in p
sychiatric patients and those in persons examined in the Institute for
Forensic Medicine after referral by the police. Our intention was to
show evident differences and/or conformities in both of these groups.
Additionally we describe a 'third group' of patients which has not yet
been mentioned. These women showed, at the same time, characteristics
of patients with overt self-injuries and of those with non-overt self
-injuries. In this 'third group' we can often find a mixture of realit
y and fantasy/imagination. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.