Comorbidity of post traumatic stress disorder and paranoid schizophrenia: A comparison of offender and non-offender patients

Abstract

This study describes rates of trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in forensic and non-forensic psychiatric patients, with a primary diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. Twenty-seven disordered offender patients (forensic) were compared with 28 non-offender (general) psychiatric inpatients. Ninety-three percent of the entire group reported previous trauma, with the forensic group reporting higher rates of physical and sexual abuse. The forensic patients had also experienced more multiple traumas then the general psychiatric patients, although the result was non-significant. There was no difference between the groups with regard to the age of the earliest trauma experienced. PTSD was common, with rates of 27% for current, and 40% lifetime diagnosis in the whole group. Forensic patients had higher rates of both current (33% v 21%) and lifetime (52% v 29%) PTSD. Very few patients had received a working diagnosis of PTSD, or were receiving trauma focussed psychological therapy. Possible reasons for high rates of trauma and PTSD, and implications for treatment are discussed.