Citation

Corsa R, Martucci P. Rassegna Italiana di Criminologia 2016; 10(3): 219-229.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The proliferation of conflicts after the terrorist attacks of September 2001 brought to the forefront again the theme of war psychopathologies and their possible relationship with the increase of violent and / or anomalous behaviors among veterans. In their paper, the Authors reconstruct the evolution of the categories of mental disorders related to war experience, from shell-shock syndrome, described during First World War, till Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), obtained from the observations of American soldiers in Vietnam. The Authors recall the fundamental contribution of psychoanalysis in the understanding of post traumatic psychopathologies and the treatment of shell-shock conditions, with particular reference to the Fifth International Psychoanalytic Congress held in Budapest in September 1918. The Authors also analyze data on the incidences of mental diseases, violent crimes, suicides and other forms of deviancy among the veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq. There is strong evidence of a significant relationship between stressful combat experiences and self-destructive behaviors, substance abuse, depressive symptoms, conduct disorders. It is believed that the same military training which the soldiers undertake may also provide the skills and attitudes conducive to the development of criminal careers in veterans.

Language: it

Keywords

War; Violence; PTSD; Veteran; Psychopathology