THEFT BEHAVIOR AND ITS CONSEQUENCES AMONG KLEPTOMANIACS AND SHOPLIFTERS - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY

This study is based on interviews with 37 persons fulfilling the DSM-T V criteria for kleptomania recruited through newspaper advertisements, and on 50 shoplifters interviewed directly after apprehension. Our hy pothesis was that there are no absolute borders between 'pure' kleptom ania according to DSM-IV and other forms of shoplifting. When asked ab out the latest case of shoplifting, one fifth of the shoplifters repor ted not having stolen the item for personal use and had later discarde d it. A quarter of the kleptomaniacs reported ambivalence when asked i f they needed the item in question. The degree of reported impulsivity and a feeling of not being oneself at the time of the theft was the s ame in the two groups. The two groups also estimated their degree of i mpulsivity, planning, thrill, relief, vengeance, need, pleasure on a V isual Analogue Scale (VAS) as well as the degree of psychiatric imbala nce on the latest theft occasion. These estimates showed that there we re no differences between the groups concerning the degree of planning , psychological imbalance and the need for the stolen item in question . The kleptomaniacs rated a feeling of inner tension before the theft higher than the shoplifters. The same was true concerning a feeling of relief during the theft and impulsivity. However, the shoplifters als o rated high on all these items. Altogether, these findings support ou r hypothesis that many shoplifters, even if they do not fulfill all DS M criteria for kleptomania, may constitute a significant medical probl em and should be offered support and treatment. Anti-depressants as we ll as the educational programmes developed by the Shoplifters Alternat ives may be effective not only in cases of kleptomania but also for mo re unselected groups of non-professional shoplifters. Copyright (C) 19 97 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.