FRONTAL COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS AND LEVELS OF IMPULSIVITY: PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON A SAMPLE OF ITALIAN PSYCHIATRIC OFFENDERS

Abstract

Frontal cognitive impairment is associated in psychiatric patients with a worse overall outcome and the risk of violent behavior. This
study analyzes impulsivity levels and executive functions in a sample of 16 offender psychiatric patients. Patients with schizophrenia
spectrum disorders presented worse attentional levels than patients with other diagnoses. Negative correlations between both total and
attentional impulsivity and short-term memory emerged. Attentional performance was positively correlated with functioning while
psychopathological severity negatively with short-term memory. Further research on larger samples is needed in order to adequately
characterize the cognitive profiles of psychiatric patients who commit crimes both for rehabilitation and preventive purposes on the risk
of violence.