ABSTRACT
The possible tendency of subjects to decrease, hide, or omit symptomatic aspects of their mental functioning is one of the main problems in forensic psychological and psychiatric evaluations. We aimed at verifying the possible existence of significant differences in the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III) scales scores between a sample of dissimulators (n = 40) and their non-dissimulator counterpart matched by age, sex, and diagnosis. Cases and comparisons were retrieved from the archive of a single university forensic psychiatric centre between 2013 and 2022. Results showed statistically significant higher scores in the sample of dissimulators in the Desirability, Histrionic, Narcissistic, and Compulsive MCMI-III scales than in the comparison sample. Point biserial correlation test disclosed a strong positive correlation between the Desirability, Histrionic, Narcissistic, and Compulsive scales of the MCMI-III and being in the dissimulator group of subjects while a negative correlation emerged for all the other scales except drug dependence. Key points: The forensic setting can affect a subject's behaviour.Dissimulation is a mechanism of minimization or concealment of a psycho-pathological condition.The MCMI-III can be a useful tool for a forensic psychiatrist or forensic psychologist in assessing dissimulation.
ABSTRACT
Legal medical doctors (LMDs) expertise encompasses a wide range of responsibilities. Work-related stress amongst LMDs is an extremely relevant factor, which affects the quality of LMDs life and work. Whilst it is a better-known problem abroad, this issue is poorly debated in Italy, as demonstrated by this literature analysis. The aim of this paper is to better understand the main sources of stress in the practice of legal medicine in Italy, highlighting the need for systematic psychological support. The risks of work-related stress for the social and health professions are well known in literature. In Italy, however, due to a series of complex circumstances and cultural and research delays, forensic practitioners often seem to be excluded from these kinds of complex issues. The authors, after a series of considerations drawn from a review of the literature and from experience in the forensic and medical field, point out how work in this area entails risks for workers, on par with all others belonging to the helping and social-health professions. They conclude their contribution with a series of proposals for appropriate protocols to cope with such problems for workers in the forensic and medical field. Key points: Work-related risks for the social and health professionals are widely recognized in the literature.Although legal medical doctors are often thought to be safe from these types of issues, significant risks exist for this category as well.It is important to create appropriate protocols to address outcomes for legal medical doctors.
