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A postal survey of the assessment procedure for personality disorder in forensic settings

Division of Forensic Mental Health, Arnold Lodge, Cordelia Close, Leicester LE5 OLE

AIMS AND METHOD

A survey of 50 in-patient forensic health care and prison services in England, Wales and Scotland was employed to evaluate : (a) how severe personality disorder is assessed ; and (b) how assessments compare with recommendations concerning standardised assessment by the Working Group on Psychopathic Disorder (Reed, 1994).

RESULTS

Seventy per cent of services responded, of whom 40% formally assessed personality disorder. Fiftyfour instruments were routinely employed. Assessments of personality structure and cognitive/emotional styles were more common than structured diagnostic instruments or ratings of interpersonal functioning. Of the assessment tools, 25.7% of services provided at least one suggested by Reed (1994).

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

A nationally agreed, focused repertoire of instruments should be encouraged within secure forensic settings offering assessments to individuals with severe personality disorder.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. Duggan, L. Mason, P. Banerjee, and J. Milton Value of standard personality assessments in informing clinical decision - making in a medium secure unit The British Journal of Psychiatry, May 1, 2007; 190(49): s15 - s19. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]