Psychiatric factors associated with dangerous misidentification delusions.
J. A. Silva, G. B. Leong, R. Weinstock and R. L. Klein,
Bull. Amer. Acad. Psychiatry & the Law
23(1): 53-61, 1995.
The delusional misidentification syndromes are characterized by misidentification delusions of
others or of the self. Aggressive ideas or behaviors often accompany these delusions. The
relationship between delusional misidentification and dangerousness remains for the most part
poorly understood. In the present article, we compare a group of dangerous individuals suffering
from dangerous misidentification delusions with a group of dangerous individuals suffering from
other types of delusions. Individuals with dangerous misidentification delusions were more likely
to experience grandiose ideation, thought disorder, generalized hostility, excitement, general
psychopathology, and a previous history of violence than dangerous delusional individuals with no
delusional misidentification. The group with dangerous delusional misidentification syndromes was
less likely to attack others with weapons than were the dangerous delusional group with no
delusional misidentification.