On the problem of differentiation of affects in persons with mental disorders from temporary disease states

Abstract

The paper sums up the notions about the psychological and forensic expert category of affect with reference to acute response to stress; a classification of psychological affects by different dimensions (axes ) is presented based on present-day expert practice and current traditional methodology. Considered are the basic criteria for diagnosing affects in persons with mental disorder which does not rule out sanity, variants of its atypical progression and specific phenomenology. Compelling reasons are adduced for the need and efficacy of complex integrative analysis by a psychiatrist and psychologist of criminal behaviour during the conduct of expert examination and drawing conclusions during comprehensive forensic psychological-psychiatric evaluation of specific mental states because precisely this approach enables to clearly differentiate temporary mental impairments from the affect.