- Title
- Reducing impulsivity in repeat violent offenders: an open label trial of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
- Creator
- Butler, Tony; Schofield, Peter W.; Greenberg, David; Allnutt, Stephen H.; Indig, Devon; Carr, Vaughan; D'Este, Catherine; Mitchell, Philip B.; Knight, Lee; Ellis, Andrew
- Relation
- Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry Vol. 44, Issue 12, p. 1137-1143
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/00048674.2010.525216
- Publisher
- Informa Healthcare
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2010
- Description
- Background: The association between serotonergic dysfunction and aggression has prompted the use of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) as a means of controlling impulsive violent behaviour. The aim of the current study was to examine the feasibility of using an SSRI to treat impulsivity in a group of repeat violent offenders. Methods: Potential participants were recruited from three magistrates’ court complexes in the Sydney metropolitan area and all had histories of violent offending (at least one prior conviction for a violent offence). Those who scored highly on the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11), passed medical and psychiatric evaluations and consented to treatment were prescribed sertraline (Zoloft) over a three month period. Results: Thirty-four individuals commenced the trial, with 20 completing the three month intervention. Reductions were observed across a range of behavioural measures from baseline to 3 months: impulsivity (35%), irritability (45%), anger (63%), assault (51%), verbal-assault (40%), indirect-assault (63%), and depression (62%). All those who completed the three month trial requested to continue sertraline under the supervision of their own medical practitioner. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that treating impulsive violent individuals in the criminal justice system with an SSRI is a potential treatment opportunity for this population. An adequately powered randomized control trial of this intervention is warranted.
- Subject
- offenders; impulsivity; selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/928839
- Identifier
- uon:10458
- Identifier
- ISSN:0004-8674
- Language
- eng
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