Forensic psychiatric evaluation of persons with posttraumatic stress disorder undergoing criminal trial.

The aim of our study was to determine if there is a difference between the type of crime committed by persons diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and that committed by other offenders. The study included 389 male patients at the Department of Forensic Psychiatry in Popovaca who underwent forensic psychiatric evaluation to establish a psychiatric diagnosis, evaluate the mental capacity, and provide advice on further treatment. The data on the number of individuals with PTSD vs. other psychiatric disorders and the data on family violence vs. other criminal acts were analyzed with chi2 test. Of a total of 389 forensically evaluated male patients, 45 (11.6%) suffered from PTSD. Study subjects with PTSD only or PTSD comorbid with the other psychiatric disorders committed family violence significantly more often than subjects diagnosed with the other psychiatric disorders chi2(1) = 40.092, P < 0.001. Subjects with PTSD, whether or not comorbid with the other psychiatric disorders, committed family violence significantly more often than subjects with other psychiatric diagnoses.