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Self-Mutilation in Female Psychopaths

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

D. W. McKerracher ,
T. Loughnane  and
R. A. Watson
D. W. McKerracher
Affiliation:
Rampton Hospital, Retford, Notts
T. Loughnane
Affiliation:
Rampton Hospital, Retford, Notts
R. A. Watson
Affiliation:
Rampton Hospital, Retford, Notts
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Extract

Rampton is a Special Hospital catering mainly for subnormal and psychopathic patients with histories of dangerous and violent behaviour. Earlier work (McKerracher, Street, Segal, 1966) had shown that female patients were significantly more prone than males to mutilate their own bodies and smash hospital property. Such acts are usually regarded in this hospital as hysterical outbursts in which there is often an insensitivity to pain. Gross lacerations are often inflicted without the patient appearing to experience any suffering. Some kind of hysterical anaesthesia may be involved. It is known that this kind of behaviour is found in long-term patients suffering from (a) schizophrenia and (b) severe character disorder (Offer and Barglow, 1960).

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 114 , Issue 512 , July 1968 , pp. 829 - 832
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1968 

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