Citation

Goldstein RL. Bull. Am. Acad. Psychiatry Law 1987; 15(3): 267-274.

Affiliation

College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, NY.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1987, American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

3676527

Abstract

De Clérambault's syndrome (erotomania) has invariably been regarded as a female disorder (with male victims); however, a number of recent reports describe male patients with the disorder, especially in violence-prone male offender populations. Seven cases are presented of violence-prone men suffering from the disorder, including Hinckley and Poddar. The syndrome is discussed from a nosological point of view and in terms of its impact on competency to stand trial. Psychiatrists should be aware that the syndrome is not a rarity among men, as previously thought, and that proper diagnosis and management are essential in view of the clinical course of the disorder and the potential for violence when the patient's "love" is persistently unrequited by the delusional love object.

Language: en