THE PREVALENCE OF POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER IN A SPECIAL HOSPITAL POPULATION OF LEGAL PSYCHOPATHS

This paper describes a study conducted at Rampton Hospital, a maximum security facility for mentally disordered offenders, to examine the pr evalence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in samples of male a nd female patients in the legal category of psychopathic disorder. Hig h prevalence rates of both current and lifetime PTSD diagnoses were fo und in both groups and in a significant number of cases the trauma ass ociated with the PTSD symptoms was the offence that led to the individ ual's admission. There is evidence to suggest that the pattern of symp toms presented in offence-related and non-offence related PTSD may be trauma specific. Despite the small sample sizes involved, it is conclu ded that there is sufficient evidence to suggest the need for a larger scale investigation of PTSD in this population.